No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat carrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and estimates over 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
