No fewer than seven individuals have died and a significant number are missing following a vessel ferrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Ninety-six people have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates over 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, the navy began a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died 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 described as being in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, often on dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to reducing undocumented migration.
