At least seven people have died and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a vessel ferrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned in waters near Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic Ocean has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people made it to the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military said.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and a dozen of the saved are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, frequently via hazardous voyages over water and land.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states with the goal of reducing irregular migration.
