No fewer than seven people have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a vessel carrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates more than 9,000 people have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
