At least seven souls have died and numerous others are missing after a boat carrying around 200 people attempting to reach Europe capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry said.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with several North African nations with the goal of curtailing irregular migration.
