No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft transporting around two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African countries designed to limiting undocumented migration.
