GUINEA: At least eight people are killed and dozens of others feared dead as a boat sinks in Guinea in the latest in a series of boat accidents off the coast of West Africa

Record ID: 861151

  • Title: GUINEA: At least eight people are killed and dozens of others feared dead as a boat sinks in Guinea in the latest in a series of boat accidents off the coast of West Africa
  • Date: 1st September 2012
  • Summary: PORT DE BOULBINET, CONAKRY, GUINEA (AUGUST 31, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN WATER LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS SURVIVORS SURVIVOR CRYING, BEING HELD UP BY HIS FRIENDS CROWDS GATHERING AT THE PORT (SOUNDBITE) (Soussou) MAME ASTA BANGOURA, SURVIVOR, SAYING: "There was a lot of wind. As we were going towards the new port the engine of our boat stopped but they were able to restart it again. But we hardly passed the signal area when the engine stopped again and the boat capsized." GUINEAN PRESIDENT ALPHA CONDE ALONGSIDE PRIME MINISTER MOHAMED SAID FOFANA VISITING THE SITE VARIOUS OF HOSPITAL MORGUE, SURVIVORS SEEN VICTIMS' FAMILIES CRYING (SOUNDBITE) (French) DOCTOR MOHAMED AWADA, DIRECTOR OF IGNACE DEEN HOSPITAL, SAYING: "Unfortunately there are so many losses, human life lost, there are 8 people dead now, amongst which we count a baby and a young boy." SURVIVORS IN EMERGENCY ROOM EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL, FAMILIES OF VICTIMS WAITING (SOUNDBITE) (Soussou) IBRAHIMA CONDE, PARENT OF THREE VICTIMS, SAYING: "When they started to fish out the bodies I saw there was the body of my aunt and her two children. They are all at the morgue now." YOUNG GIRL CRYING VARIOUS OF SITE, WITH EMERGENCY WORKERS AND SECURITY SEEN
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Guinea
  • City:
  • Country: Guinea
  • Topics: Accidents,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA68XXPCYKK2ZM1B3BLMPQ5JT8T
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: At least eight people were confirmed to have drowned and dozens more were feared dead after a boat carrying about 45 passengers capsized off the Guinean capital Conakry on Friday evening (August 31), authorities said.
    The motorised wooden boat was ferrying passengers from Conakry to an island off the West African coast. Port officials said it was not clear why it had capsized.
    "There was a lot of wind. As we were going towards the new port the engine of our boat stopped but they were able to restart it again. But we hardly passed the signal area when the engine stopped again and the boat capsized," said Mame Asta Bangoura, one of the survivors.
    Mohamed Awada, director of a hospital in Conakry, said eight bodies had been recovered, including an infant.
    "Unfortunately there are so many losses, human life lost, there are 8 people dead now, amongst which we count a baby and a young boy," Awada said.
    Ibrahima Conde who had come to the port said he had lost three family members.
    "When they started to fish out the bodies I saw there was the body of my aunt and her two children. They are all at the morgue now," said Ibrahima Conde.
    Accidents on overcrowded and poorly maintained boats are common in the region. At least 30 people drowned in July after a boat from Guinea capsized off Sierra Leone in bad weather.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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