At least seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a boat ferrying around 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach the EU.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defense officials confirmed.
Officials state a number of those who died are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven individuals who drowned have been retrieved, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a frequent corridor used by migrants trying to reach Europe, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the EU has reached agreements with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of curtailing illegal migration.
