By: Aja Musu Bah-Daffeh
Two Gambian brothers, Muhammed and Eliman Mbaye died on the 4th of February 2018, after the boat that was ferrying them on their ‘backway’ journey, capsized in Spain, 14km away from the Moroccan coast.
The Gambian Consular in Spain confirmed that the bodies of the duo are recovered recovered and are kept in morgue in the Spanish town of Terifa together with the corpse of Senegalese citizens, whose bodies have also been recovered and readied for evacuation to Senegal by their Ambassador in Spain.
The Communications Secretary at the Foreign Affairs Ministry Saihou Ceesay, said the issue of the two Mbaye brothers is still being investigated but confirmed that the boat accident happened on the 4th of February 2018, 14km away from the Moroccan coast.
Ceesay said according to the information they gathered, Moroccan coast guards retrieved 20 lifeless bodies whilst only 1 body was retrieved by the Spanish coast guard. He however told this reporter that he was not sure if it was the same accident she was talking about.
P.S. Ceesay said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is linking with other diplomatic colleagues to gather more information on the issue; that his Ministry is also working with its embassies in Spain and Morocco, to get information from their diplomatic colleagues.
“It would also be helpful to know the position of families. That is if they would be able to pay in repatriating the bodies. I said this because from our end, there are no funds for such eventualities. This clarification is necessary because some families are with the notion that the Foreign Ministry and Embassies, should foot the bill for such responsibilities,” P.S Ceesay said.
He however said that it is a difficult situation for them but promised that his Ministry would continue to do its best to know what actually happened and look for the way forward.
