Residents of Gunjur, a coastal town in The Gambia, gathered on Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of a mysterious disappearance. About 200 peop
Residents of Gunjur, a coastal town in The Gambia, gathered on Tuesday to mark the first anniversary of a mysterious disappearance.
About 200 people, mostly young men, are believed to have taken a boat to begin a journey to Spain in search of a better life but their fate remains unknown.
At least 40 of them were from Gunjur itself and their families say they were unaware that they were embarking on the journey.
Many believe the boat capsized. But others say that the vessel took a detour and their relatives are alive and likely being held captive since no bodies have ever been retrieved from the sea.
A lot of money has been raised to help with the search operations, but where to start the search has been a matter of debate.
Binta Sawareh’s husband, who was a serving member of the Gambia Armed Forces, paid $700 (£610) for a seat in the boat. She clings on to hope that the father of her three children is alive.
The journey, often referred to as “the backway”, usually takes a maximum of one week to reach Europe.
Local authorities say they want to dissuade people from making the dangerous voyage.
BBC Africa
COMMENTS