A minimum of seven people lost their lives and many others are lost in the wake of a craft transporting around two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
