A minimum of seven souls have perished and many others remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying approximately 200 people trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
