A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others are lost after a vessel transporting around 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
