Ferry disaster victims mourned
2009-09-14 22:01
Freetown - Drivers honked their car horns and church bells rang out as Sierra Leone on Monday marked a day of mourning for the victims of last week's ferry disaster in which at least 200 people drowned.
Flags were lowered to half-mast on public buildings and radio stations played sombre music.
Public buildings remained open however as people marked the day of mourning with local tradition.
Hundreds of people made their way to work wearing black armbands or items of clothing. Others wore white, a symbol of mourning in the West African country.
"We are not shutting down any public building but asking people to remember those who have died and to pray for them," Information Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said.
"President Ernest Koroma has already sent a message of condolence to all the affected families and would continue to communicate with them," said the minister, adding that tons of food supplies had been sent to victims' families.
Investigating cause
The government has established a task force led by Vice President Sam Soumana to "thoroughly investigate the cause" of the tragedy, the minister said.
The government had ordered the navy to recover the vessel and tow it to port where the wreck can be examined, said Kargbo.
"We have very conflicting statements and figures relating to those who died," said the minister.
"We have reports of 200 and 300 but what President Koroma has insisted on is to make sure that we authenticate the figure and come up with a correct number."
Police said the owner of the boat was being sought for questioning.
The government has been unable to provide an official death toll.
Survivors of the September 8 disaster said the overloaded wooden ferry went down in minutes after being hit by a storm after leaving the southern fishing village of Shenge for Tombo, on the outskirts of the capital Freetown.
Only 37 people are known to have survived, according to police. Rescue workers were able to recover only 120 bodies.
Estimates of the numbers on board ranged from 268 to more than 300, with the government admitting that many children aboard the vessel, who were heading to Freetown to start the school year, would not have been on the ship's manifest.
- SAPA
