At least seven individuals have perished and many others are lost after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent sank near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces launched a rescue mission, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military said.
Authorities say several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of North African countries designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
