At least seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing after a vessel transporting approximately two hundred migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
Recently, the EU has established pacts with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
