A minimum of seven people have died and numerous others are lost in the wake of a vessel ferrying approximately 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized in waters near Gambia, authorities say.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a hunt is ongoing for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was en route to the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach Europe.
Close to 47,000 people arrived at the Spanish archipelago in last year and estimates over 9,000 people have died in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces initiated a rescue mission, deploying a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died were found, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a common pathway utilized by migrants attempting to enter the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European bloc has reached agreements with a number of North African nations designed to limiting undocumented migration.