| Shenge | |
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Shenge
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Sierra Leone |
| Province | Southern Province |
| District | Moyamba District |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC-5) |
Shenge is coastal town in the Atlantic ocean located in Moyamba District in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The inhabitant of Shenge are predominantly fisherman and the town is one of the biggest fish producers in Sierra Leone. The town of Shenge can only be reached by helicopter or boat due to its coastal surrounding. The population of the town is primarily from the Sherbro and Mende ethnic group.
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On September 9, 2009 a boat (locally known in Sierra Leone as Pampam) was travelling a sea route of about 65 km (40 mi) along the coast from the town of Shenge heading to the Western Area town of Tombo, near Freetown with at least 246 passengers on board, including many schoolchildren returning from holidays capsized not long after take off. The Sierra leone Navy commander Mao Suma, who is in charge of the rescue operation said sixteen bodies have been recovered and only Thirty-nine passengers have been rescued so far. Commander Suma said 213 passengers are still missing or feared dead.[1]
Sierra Leone Information Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said the cause of the accident will be fully investigated. The Sierra Leone Police special investigation unit spokesman Ibrahim Samura said overloading and bad weather might have been an issue.
This is the second major boat accident in Sierra Leone. In November 2000 at least 150 people drowned when a boat carrying 200 people — also bound for the coastal town of Tombo — capsized.
President Koroma declared Monday 14 September 2009 as a day of national mourning for the lives lost during the recent boat tragedy. President Koroma held a brief news conference from the State House in Freetown shortly after the accident. President Koroma said the life of every Sierra Leonean is important to him and that is why he responded quickly in putting in more operations and special investigated unit. President Koroma thanked all those that have participated in the exercise of rescuing and taking care of the rescued.
On September 15, 2009 President Koroma and some senior members of his government lead a high power delegation to Shenge, the town where the tragedy took place on board a government helicopter.[2] Speaking at the well-attended ceremony at the Shenge Community Centre in Shenge in Moyamba District, President Koroma said, “We are here today as President of this country, as members of the government of this country, as institutions and agencies of this country, and we are here to represent the entire Sierra Leonean population to express our sympathy for this great disaster that has met our nation.
The President said Sierra Leoneans have to accept that sea transportation is part of our every day lives, but that it has to be developed to acceptable standards to avoid loss of lives, so that boat operators adhere to these standards: “We have to enforce laws to make it mandatory for people to carry life jackets; we should ensure that maritime bodies responsible for regulating water transportation get the necessary legislation giving them the full authority to enforce the law.”