No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are lost following a craft transporting around 200 people trying to get to European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for the remaining passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defense officials reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with a number of North African nations with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
