At least seven individuals have died and many others are lost after a boat transporting approximately 200 people trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of Maghreb states designed to reducing undocumented migration.
