A minimum of seven individuals have died and many others are missing following a vessel ferrying about two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa attempting to get to the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes utilized by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
