A minimum of seven souls have died and a significant number are lost after a craft ferrying about 200 people trying to get to European shores overturned off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has reached agreements with multiple North African countries with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
