The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said it has learned with deep sorrow, anguish and sadness the death of over fifty Gambian youths off the coast of Mauritanian.
On December 4, a boat carrying 195 people, mainly Gambians, capsized off the coast of Mauritania. Sixty-three people were reported to have died while 41 remain missing.
Seventy-eight Gambians survived the boat wreck, according to International Organisation for Migration that helped to bring the survivors home.
“The NHRC is concerned with this huge tragic incident and convey its condolences to the families and loved ones of the departed souls,” said a statement from the NHRC.
“The NHRC commends the government for their collaboration with the Mauritanian authorities, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), Red Cross and other actors to identify the casualties, rescue some and continue to search for the others.”
The Commission called on government to urgently address the causes of these hazardous journeys and to put in places policies and concrete security measures that will increase opportunities in The Gambia and tackle dangerous journeys to Europe.