A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat carrying around 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday near the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the sunken boat that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people have died during the journey.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that offered help, the military said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven people who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are said to be in grave health and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, typically through hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European Union has forged deals with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing undocumented migration.
