At least seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing following a vessel carrying around 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
