At least seven people have perished and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat transporting approximately 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "grounded on a sandbank", the nation's defense ministry announced officially.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates over 9,000 people have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a rescue mission, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not Gambian nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who perished at sea were found, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
In recent years, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations with the goal of curtailing undocumented migration.
