At least seven people lost their lives and a significant number are missing following a boat transporting about two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 people have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
