A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are missing in the wake of a boat carrying approximately 200 people attempting to reach European shores sank in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
