No fewer than seven people lost their lives and numerous others are missing after a craft ferrying about 200 people trying to get to European shores capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the nation's defense ministry said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers attempting to get to European nations.
Almost 47,000 individuals made it to the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy initiated a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military reported.
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 died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to European countries, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European Union has reached agreements with several Maghreb states aimed at reducing illegal migration.
