A minimum of seven people have perished and numerous others are missing following a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African countries with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
