No fewer than seven individuals have perished and many others are lost after a craft carrying approximately two hundred people seeking to enter Europe overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with multiple North African countries aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
