At least 2 dead, 28 missing after ferry sinks off Port-Gentil (Gabon)

   March 10, 2023 ,   Accidents

At least 2 people were killed while 28 others are missing after a ferry sank off Gabon's western coast on Thursday, March 9th.

After having earlier departed Gabon's capital city and principal port Libreville, the Ro-Pax ferry Esther Miracle (Gabon-flagged/MMSI 626001245) was nearing Port-Gentil when it suffered water ingress shortly after 3 am local time (7 pm UTC).

Shipowner Royal Cost Marine said that the flooding had then led to a loss of control, and the ferryboat had sunk less than 1 hour later.

Gabonese Navy's rescue teams and other local partners along with the crews of some Good Samaritan ships were able to pull 121 survivors and 2 deceased individuals, one of whom an infant, out of the water.

At least 2 of the survivors have since been brought to the hospital.

28 people who were on the boat are still missing.

Prosecutors have begun an inquiry to identify the probable causes of the accident.