No fewer than seven souls have died and many others are missing following a craft ferrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
