At least seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing after a boat ferrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to European shores overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is a frequent corridor used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with several North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
