A minimum of seven souls have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a boat transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
