No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and many others are lost following a boat ferrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in last year and estimates more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
