The 78 Gambians survivors of Wednesday’s  migrants shipwreck off  the coast of Mauritanian will receive humanitarian aid, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said on Friday.

In a statement, the organisation said:

“IOM’s team in Mauritania is focusing on helping migrants recover from shock, providing appropriate medical treatment and providing first aid kits, blankets and other supplies. A member of IOM’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) team in The Gambia departed for Mauritania on Friday (6/12) to support the local response.”

A total of 85 survivors have been accounted for, including 7 Senegalese, while the death toll has risen to 63.

“IOM is coordinating with Mauritanian authorities and Gambian consular services to provide assistance to survivors. Additionally, IOM is in touch with The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS), as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Mauritania, on linking families who believe their loved ones were aboard the boat,” the statement added.

The boat tragedy is the worst single disaster for Gambian migrants and has affected towns in the North Bank Region of the country where most of the victims came from.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba