At least seven individuals have died and numerous others are missing in the wake of a craft carrying around two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military reported.
Authorities say several of the victims are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has forged deals with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing illegal migration.
