By Mariam Williams
The top humanitarian organisation in the country, The Gambia Red Cross Society, has condoled with the bereaved families, following the untimely deaths at sea, of about 63 members of The Gambia’s youthful society. They were among host of young Gambians, including young girls, who embarked on the perilous “back-way” sea journey, with the expectation of reaching the shores of the European nation of Spain, but their ill-fated boat capsized, resulting to huge loss of lives. The lucky ones were rescued and had since returned home, while those whose bodies were found, had been buried in Mauritanian.
The migrant boat, which departed from the North Bank town of Barra, was reported to be carrying about 195 migrants when it sank on 4th December 2019, as it approached the Northern Coast of Mauritania, close to Nouadhibou.
At least, 84 survivors were confirmed and assistance was provided to them by Mauritanian authorities, the Red Cross and International Organization for Migration (IOM), as 41 people were presumed missing.
The Gambia Red Cross Society, in close collaboration with its sister Red Cross Movement and other Humanitarian partners in The Gambia and Mauritania, had been providing psychosocial support to the survivors, of this tragic incident, and their families.
In the same vain, The Gambia Red Cross Society, as the press statement indicated, has activated its “Restoring Family Links” tool and is now providing support to families that had lost their loved ones in this tragic incident that shocked the nation, due to its magnitude.
Meantime, the GCRS posited that, families and loved ones could visit the Gambia Red Cross Headquarters in Kanifing to file a Tracing Request, in order to help locate their family members who might have been part of the passengers.
