No fewer than seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a craft carrying approximately two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with a number of North African countries aimed at reducing irregular migration.
