At least seven people have perished and a significant number are lost after a craft ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach the European continent overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized late Wednesday night near Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and estimates over 9,000 migrants have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, using a number of military boats and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry confirmed.
Officials state some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach the EU, often on dangerous journeys across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
