At least seven souls have died and a significant number are lost following a boat carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
