A minimum of seven souls have died and many others are lost following a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe overturned in waters near The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to European nations.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defense officials said.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations designed to limiting illegal migration.
