At least seven souls have perished and many others are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canaries in last year and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
