No fewer than seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat transporting about 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in last year and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
