MV Le Joola
Senegalese ferry which sank off the coast of The Gambia in 26 September 2002 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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MV Le Joola was a Senegalese government-owned roll-on/roll-off ferry that capsized off the coast of The Gambia on 26 September 2002,[1] with 1,863 deaths and 64 survivors. It is thought to be the second-worst non-military disaster in maritime history.
Ferry Le Joola at Ziguinchor, Senegal in 1991 | |
History | |
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Republic Of Senegal | |
Name | Le Joola |
Owner | Republique Senegal, Ministere de l'Equipement, Dakar / Senegal |
Operator | Armed Forces of Senegal |
Port of registry | Senegal |
Route | Dakar to Casamance |
Builder | Schiffswerft Germersheim (Germany) |
Launched | 22 March 1990 |
Completed | 12 November 1990 |
Out of service |
|
Identification |
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Fate | Capsized and sunk in rough seas 26 September 2002 |
Notes | The ship was overloaded with an estimated 1,863 aboard at the time of disaster. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Roll-on/roll-off ferry |
Tonnage | 2,087 GT |
Length | 79.5 m (260 ft 10 in) |
Beam | 12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
Draft | 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) |
Capacity |
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Crew | 44 |
The ship was plying the route from Ziguinchor in the Casamance region to the Senegalese capital, Dakar, when it ran into a violent storm, farther out to sea than it was licensed to sail. The estimated 2,000 passengers aboard (about half of whom lacked tickets) would have amounted to nearly four times the ship's design load. The large numbers sleeping on-deck (and thus above its center of buoyancy) added further instability. Rescue operations did not start for several hours.
A government inquiry principally blamed negligence, and accusations were levelled at both the Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade and prime minister Mame Madior Boye.