No fewer than seven people lost their lives and a significant number are missing in the wake of a craft transporting about two hundred migrants attempting to reach European shores capsized off the coast of Gambia, officials state.
The vessel capsized on Wednesday midnight close to the village of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities stated in a release.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a hunt is ongoing for the remaining passengers who were on board the capsized craft that was bound for Spain's Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Canaries in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
After Wednesday's accident, the navy launched a search operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Authorities say a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven individuals who perished at sea have been recovered, and a dozen of the saved are said to be in critical condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Frequent Pathway
Gambia is one of the routes used by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages by sea and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with several North African countries aimed at limiting illegal migration.
