No fewer than seven people lost their lives and numerous others are lost in the wake of a boat carrying about two hundred people attempting to reach European shores capsized in waters near The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for other passengers who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 people made it to the Canaries in last year and estimates in excess of nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a rescue mission, using multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is one of the routes taken by migrants seeking to get to Europe, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several Maghreb states aimed at limiting illegal migration.
