Death toll from Gambia migrant boat tragedy rises to 62 after discovery of four more bodies

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By BABOUCARR CEESAY

The death toll from Gambia migrant boat tragedy has now rose to 62 when four bodies were recovered late yesterday.

IOM said the recovery happened as their efforts to help survivors gathered momentum, but with concerns that the death toll will continue to rise.

The incident happened when a fishing boat carrying migrants destined for the Canary Islands capsized near the coast of Mauritania.

The captain of the vessel that left the shores of Barra, North Bank Region of The Gambia on November 27 with at least 150 people aboard is believed to be among the death and witness testimonies suggest that the death toll will increase.

IOM said it is now focusing on helping migrants recover from shock, receiving appropriate medical treatment and that specific health vulnerabilities are identified.

According to the UN migration agency, their doctor is now working alongside Mauritanian authorities in Nouadhibou, the second largest city in northern Mauritania to assess cases, and two of the Organization’s psychologists will arrive today to offer psychosocial assistance to the 85 men, women including at least ten minors who managed to swim to shore after the vessel sank in rough seas.

However, IOM said they are working with the ICRC in Mauritania to link families who believe their loved ones were aboard the boat, with consular officials who began conducting interviews with the survivors, among them seventy-nine Gambians and six Senegalese.

“We have been receiving calls from families in The Gambia who believe their loved-ones were on the boat,” said IOM

Mauritania Chief of Mission Laura Lungarotti. “This is one of our priorities at this time.”
“158 people have died in 11 confirmed fatal shipwrecks this year along the 1,400km-long Western Africa migration route which runs from Cabo Verde to the Canary Islands. Eight of the earlier fatal trips began in Morocco and two in

Mauritania. At least 43 people died in five reported tragedies at sea in 2018,” indicates IOM’s Missing Migrant’s Project reports.

The Project reports that collecting reliable data along this largely unpatrolled route is challenging and vessels may be disappearing without a trace, assuring IOM work with the Mauritanian and consular authorities to assist the survivors with potential family reunification and return to their countries of origin.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia in a press release expressed shock for the tragic death of Gambians in the international territorial waters between Mauritania and Morocco.

The Ministry said it has been in contact with officials of the Gambian Embassy in Nouakchott who are closely working with Regional Mauritanian authorities as well as the International Organisation for Migration and UNHCR to manage the crisis situation on the ground.

It further stated that The Gambian Ambassador to Mauritania, Mawdo C. Juwara and the Honourary Consul held series of meetings with the Governor of Dhahlet Nouadhibou Region with the Regional Security Chiefs on the issue and the need to continue with the search and rescue operations.

“Rescue or recovery efforts will continue for those missing as well as to find ways and means to offer assistance in terms of medical treatment to those who need medical attention and to provide accommodation and food for the survivors,” the statement said.

The ministry assured general public is hereby that once the identification is completed, the Gambian Embassy, the Honourary Consulate, Mauritanian Regional Administrative authorities in Nouadhibou, the IOM as well as the UNHCR will continue further medical checkups of the survivors to ascertain their fitness to be repatriated to The Gambia and Senegal.

“In accordance with the directive of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs is part of the delegation dispatched by the Government of The Gambia to take part in the investigation and recovery efforts.”