A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and a significant number are lost in the wake of a boat carrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to the European continent overturned near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the North Bank area and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards Spain's Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has become an increasingly common route for African migrants trying to reach European nations.
Almost 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in last year and data indicates in excess of 9,000 people perished trying.
Ongoing Mission
After Wednesday's accident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving a number of military boats and a fishing boat that offered help, the defense officials said.
Officials state a number of those who died are not from The Gambia and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who drowned were found, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
A Common Migration Route
This West African nation is one of the routes used by migrants trying to reach European countries, typically through perilous trips over water and land.
Over the past few years, the EU has forged deals with a number of North African nations aimed at limiting undocumented migration.
