No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying around 200 migrants trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African countries with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
