At least seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost after a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
