A minimum of seven people have died and numerous others are missing after a craft ferrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries designed to limiting irregular migration.
