At least seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing after a vessel carrying around two hundred migrants trying to get to the European continent capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
