No fewer than seven individuals have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat ferrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
