At least seven people have perished and many others are missing following a boat transporting approximately two hundred people trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
