At least seven people lost their lives and many others remain unaccounted for following a craft carrying around two hundred migrants seeking to enter Europe overturned near the shoreline of The Gambia, authorities say.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was afterwards located "stranded on a sandbar", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The hazardous trip over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for migrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants have lost their lives in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
Following the Wednesday incident, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, deploying a number of military boats and a commercial fishing craft that offered help, the military reported.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are described as being in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by migrants attempting to enter European countries, frequently via dangerous journeys over water and land.
Over the past few years, the European Union has established pacts with several Maghreb states designed to limiting illegal migration.
