A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others are lost following a vessel ferrying about 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.
