A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing following a boat ferrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
