A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and numerous others are lost following a boat carrying around two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African asylum seekers attempting to get to the EU.
Close to 47,000 individuals arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died trying.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Authorities say some of the deceased are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African nations aimed at limiting illegal migration.
