At least seven individuals lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for following a craft ferrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
