A minimum of seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
