At least seven individuals have died and numerous others are lost following a craft carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Officials state some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
