Modou Charreh, son of Papa Charreh and Alieu Susso, son of Adama Jammeh of Gunjur have been confirmed to have lost their lives when their boat capsized off the coast of Mauritanian Capital, Nouakchott as they attempt to reach Europe through the “backway” onboard wooden boats.
Family sources have confirmed to Gunjuronline.com that the duo were on a boat that left the Gambia for mainland Europe. The boat encountered high tides and eventually capsized, killing the two youngsters from the sprawling seaside town of Gunjur and 12 others confirmed to have also died. The boat is said to be carrying 180’passengers, 45 of them survived the shipwreck and the remaining 121 passengers believed to be still missing.
Gunjur continue to suffer monumental loss of her youthful population through the perilous journey to Europe onboard fishing boats.
Tragically, Modou Charreh (Left) is a Grade 9 student who is supposed to Graduate from the Ustass Omar Bun Jeng School in Gunjur this Saturday, 27th July 2024.
Those who know Modou hail him as a hardworking young man who has been always seen helping his father at his tailoring shop.
One commentator (Sora) had this to say about Modou:
“Sad, I recognized Modou he's very ambitious and supportive at his father's tailoring shop. May God have mercy on their souls...” (sic)
The deaths of Modou Charreh and Alieu Suso increases the death toll of young would-be backway migrants from the coastal settlement.
In December last year, a young girl from Gunjur, Saffie Jallow died in a similar circumstance as she ventured on the dangerous journey to Europe.
On 8th November 2021, about 200 youths, majority of whom are from Gunjur and the neighbouring settlements left Gunjur beach on a fishing boat for Spain. Two years on, no one knows whereabouts of the occupants of that faithful boat. In November 2023, Bakary Touray and Alasana Janneh both died as they tried to reach Spain onboard a fishing boat that left Gunjur. The same week, a decomposed body of a young man was discovered on Gunjur beach. He was believed to have died as he tried to travel to Europe through the backway.
The irregular migration route to mainland Spain is having devastating effects on communities up and down the country. The government of The Gambia has recently announced the drafting of a law seeking to prosecute anyone caught transporting the youths on board fishing boats to Europe.
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