At least seven souls have perished and a significant number are lost after a boat carrying around two hundred people seeking to enter European shores sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
