No fewer than seven souls have perished and numerous others are missing in the wake of a craft ferrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved 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 attempting to enter Europe, often on perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African nations aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
