A minimum of seven individuals have perished and a significant number are lost following a boat carrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter European shores capsized near the shoreline of Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of limiting undocumented migration.
