At least seven individuals have perished and a significant number are missing following a craft transporting about two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were traveling on the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach European nations.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels 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 nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
