A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others are lost after a vessel transporting around two hundred people seeking to enter European shores overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor utilized by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
