A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost after a boat transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the EU has established pacts with a number of Maghreb states with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
