At least seven people lost their lives and many others are lost after a boat ferrying approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing undocumented migration.
