A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying about 200 people trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
