A minimum of seven people have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel transporting about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Nearly forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in last year and estimates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that offered help, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations with the goal of reducing illegal migration.
