A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a vessel transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at limiting illegal migration.
