At least seven people have died and a significant number are lost after a vessel carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent capsized near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, authorities say.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", 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 sunken boat that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, using several naval vessels and a fishing vessel that joined the effort, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their nationalities are still under confirmation.
The bodies of the seven victims who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Frequent Pathway
This West African nation is a common pathway used by asylum seekers seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to curtailing undocumented migration.
