At least seven people have perished and numerous others are lost following a vessel transporting approximately 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores overturned in waters near Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night close to Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for the remaining passengers who were aboard the sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates in excess of 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, involving several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say several of the victims are not from The Gambia 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 critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African countries aimed at curtailing illegal migration.
