A minimum of seven people have died and many others are missing following a vessel ferrying about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach Europe, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
