No fewer than seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are lost after a boat carrying approximately two hundred migrants trying to get to Europe sank in waters near The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants made it to the Canaries in last year and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, Gambia's naval forces launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The deceased of the seven people who drowned have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations designed to curtailing illegal migration.
