No fewer than seven souls have perished and many others remain unaccounted for after a vessel ferrying approximately two hundred migrants attempting to reach Europe sank in waters near the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The craft flipped late Wednesday night near the village of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for migrants from Africa seeking entry into the EU.
Nearly 47,000 individuals arrived at the Canaries in last year and estimates more than 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy launched a search-and-rescue operation, involving a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are not Gambian nationals and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The remains of the seven victims who drowned have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in grave health and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a common pathway taken by migrants trying to reach the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with several North African countries aimed at reducing undocumented migration.