A minimum of seven souls have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a boat transporting around 200 migrants trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates over 9,000 migrants have died during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
