By: Alieu Ceesay
A migrant boat carrying over 150 Gambians, including women and children, has been missing for more than eight days after it departed from Barra in the North Bank Region. The boat is said to have left on Friday, July 26, 2024, at around 2:30 a.m. local time, bounding for the Canary Islands in Spain. Since then, there has been no contact or information regarding their whereabouts, raising serious concerns for the safety of those on board.
The boat’s departure is part of a broader trend of young Gambians attempting the perilous journey across the Atlantic Ocean to reach Europe in search of better economic opportunities. This route, known as the “Western African Route,” is one of the most dangerous for migrants, with countless lives already perished in the waters and more young people daring to undertake the journey due to socioeconomic realities at home.
Local sources, including Ebrima Dampha, a migrant reporter, have expressed deep concern over the missing vessel. The Gambian authorities and the International Maritime Organization are urged to intensify search and rescue efforts to locate the missing boat with the migrants and ensure their safety and well-being.
The situation remains tense as the families of those on board anxiously await news of their children. The community of Barra, a small village at the mouth of River Gambia in the North, is mainly affected as throngs of young people left searching for a greener pasture in Europe. However, the prolonged silence over the missing migrant boat has caused panic and fear among affected families and the general population, calling for swift intervention from the state Authorities.
In collaboration with international partners, the government of The Gambia is expected to release a statement soon regarding the ongoing search efforts. In the meantime, prayers and hope are all that the families of those missing can cling to as they await any word on the fate of their loved ones.
This incident highlights the urgent need for more robust measures to address the root causes of a mass exodus of young people from The Gambia and other West African countries to Europe and America through irregular migration, as well as promote and create an alternative migration pathway that is not only legal but safer since migration is a human right.
