At least seven people have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting about two hundred people seeking to enter European shores capsized off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at limiting irregular migration.
