A minimum of seven souls have died and numerous others remain unaccounted for following a boat ferrying around two hundred people seeking to enter the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to the EU.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search operation, using multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the military said.
Officials state some of the deceased 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 said to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African countries designed to reducing illegal migration.
