At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing following a boat transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
