At least seven souls have perished and a significant number remain unaccounted for after a boat transporting about 200 migrants trying to get to European shores sank near the shoreline of Gambia, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were on board the sunken boat that was en route to the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa seeking entry into Europe.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals perished in the attempt.
Rescue Operation
In the aftermath of the disaster, the navy initiated a search-and-rescue operation, using several naval vessels 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 bodies of the seven people who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in serious condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes used by asylum seekers attempting to enter European countries, typically through dangerous journeys by sea and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has reached agreements with multiple North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
