A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel carrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canaries in last year and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven individuals who died were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
