In the Central African Republic, three days after the sinking of a whaling boat on the M’poko river southwest of Bangui, volunteer rescuers continue to fish out dead bodies. According to some witnesses, more than 70 people died in the sinking, but civil protection announced on Saturday the death of at least 58 dead and several dozen people missing.
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With our correspondent in Bangui, Rolf-Steve Domia-leu
On Sunday, it was almost noon when the team of young volunteers toured the village of Nziba a few kilometers from the site of the shipwreck. As you approach the bank, it’s desolation. Zéphyrin fished out four dead bodies with the other villagers: “ The bodies floated one after the other on the water. They were all in a state of decomposition. We thought it would be better to bury them not far from the bank because it is difficult to identify them. “.
Everyone here is still in shock. Quentin points out the ineffectiveness of the naval forces. “ This small whaleboat built of wood should not carry more than 300 people. The naval forces that were there did not check the condition of the whaleboat. An accident can happen at any time. But we can also avoid it by paying attention to overloads and the obsolescence of means of transport. “, he believes.
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As if to prevent other tragedies, Jean-Baptiste calls for general awareness. “ By the looks of it, the boat was not solid. It broke under the weight. We had to wait for the tragedy and the deaths to talk about it. Lives can be protected if everyone follows the rules », he analyzes.
Just after this tragedy, the government took drastic measures in terms of river safety. From now on, all locomotives not approved for transport will be sanctioned and banned.
Read alsoCAR: a tragic shipwreck of a whaling boat on the M’poko river causes dozens of deaths