A minimum of seven individuals have perished and numerous others are lost following a craft transporting approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Close to 47,000 individuals made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest over nine thousand individuals have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, using a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The deceased of the seven victims who perished at sea have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is one of the routes utilized by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with several North African nations with the goal of limiting illegal migration.
