No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number are lost following a boat carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach Europe, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
