At least seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a boat ferrying around two hundred people attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "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 sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and estimates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the defense officials said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states designed to limiting irregular migration.
