No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number are lost following a boat carrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with several North African nations aimed at limiting irregular migration.
