At least seven souls lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have died trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a search-and-rescue operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by asylum seekers seeking to get to Europe, often on perilous trips by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
