At least seven souls have perished and numerous others are lost after a vessel transporting about 200 migrants attempting to reach European shores sank off the coast of Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Almost 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives trying.
Search and Rescue Efforts
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy launched a search operation, deploying several naval vessels and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are described as being in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
