No fewer than seven souls have died and a significant number are lost in the wake of a craft transporting around two hundred people attempting to reach the European continent sank off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities announced officially.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of nine thousand individuals perished trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, involving several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven individuals who died were found, and ten of the survivors are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is a common pathway used by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through hazardous voyages by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African nations designed to curtailing irregular migration.
