At least seven individuals have died and many others are missing in the wake of a boat ferrying approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to reducing undocumented migration.
