A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.