No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are missing after a boat ferrying around 200 people trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
