At least seven individuals have perished and many others are lost after a vessel ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent overturned off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration.
