At least seven individuals have perished and numerous others remain unaccounted for after a craft carrying around 200 migrants trying to get to Europe capsized off the coast of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank Region and it was later found "stranded on a sandbar", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The perilous journey over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for migrants from Africa attempting to get to Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants have died in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry confirmed.
Reports indicate a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven people who drowned were found, and 10 of those rescued are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants attempting to enter the EU, typically through perilous trips by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European bloc has established pacts with several North African countries aimed at reducing illegal migration.
