At least seven people have perished and many others remain unaccounted for following a boat transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting illegal migration.
