No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and many others are lost after a vessel transporting around two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African nations aimed at limiting irregular migration.
