No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting around 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants trying to reach European countries, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with several North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
