By: Alieu Ceesay
It has been three weeks since a boat carrying migrants, filled with hopes, dreams, and many young lives, departed from Mbour, Senegal, to reach Spain. As each day passes without any communication from the boat, the relatives of those onboard are left in an excruciating state of uncertainty and apprehension.
The residents of Mandinari found it challenging to rest as their minds were occupied with worry and concern for their sons and loved ones who had ventured off on the treacherous journey.
“The migrant boat that departed from Mbour, Senegal to Spain on the 12th or 13th of August, which constituted a lot of Gambians and more specifically Mandinari, the number of women and minors is said to be huge, the whereabouts of the migrants on board and the boat is still unknown after three weeks now?” Ebrima Drammeh, the migration activist, said.
The boat reportedly filled with a significant number of Gambians, including many women and minors. The fear that these migrants, now without food or water for weeks, may no longer be alive is a thought too painful to bear. Just days later, another boat departed from Sami in Nuimi on the night of August 21st, carrying hundreds more Gambians, also including women.
It has been almost 13 days since they disappeared, and there is still no information about where they might be. This has intensified the feelings of anxiety and hopelessness not only in The Gambia but also in other places in Senegal.
“The families and loved ones “desperately search for information concerning the boat,’ Ebrima said.
The dire circumstances underscore the growing desperation that compels many to gamble their lives for the prospect of a brighter future overseas. With each passing day, the relatives of those aboard the vanished vessels persist in their appeals for any news, clinging to even the faintest glimmer of hope.