At least seven individuals have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers seeking to get to European countries, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states with the goal of limiting irregular migration.
