Shenge
Encyclopedia
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.
(locally known in Sierra Leone as Pampam) was travelling a sea route of about 65 km (40.4 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 recover and only Thirty-nine passengers have been rescued so far. Commander Suma said 213 passengers are still missing or feared dead.
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.
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.
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.”
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
located in Moyamba District
Moyamba District
Moyamba District is a district in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 260,910 in the 2004 census. Its capital and largest city is Moyamba. The other major towns include Njala, Rotifunk and Shenge...
in the Southern Province
Southern Province, Sierra Leone
The Southern Province is one of three provinces of Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 19,694 km² and has a population of 1,377,067 . It consists of four districts . Its capital and administrative center is Bo, which is also the second largest and second most populated city in Sierra Leone...
of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. The inhabitant of Shenge are predominantly fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
and the town is one of the biggest fish producers in Sierra Leone. The town of Shenge can only be reached by helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
or boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
due to its coastal surrounding. The population of the town is primarily from the Sherbro
Sherbro people
The Sherbro people are a native people of Sierra Leone, who speak the Sherbro language; they make up 3% of Sierra Leone's population or about 201,000. They are also known as the Bullom people...
and Mende
Mende people
The Mende people are one of the two largest and most dominant ethnic group in Sierra Leone, along with the Temne. The Mende make up 30% of Sierra Leone's total population or 1,932,015 members...
ethnic group.
Sierra Leone accident tragedy
On September 9, 2009 a boatBoat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
(locally known in Sierra Leone as Pampam) was travelling a sea route of about 65 km (40.4 mi) along the coast from the town of Shenge heading to the Western Area town of Tombo, near Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
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 recover and only Thirty-nine passengers have been rescued so far. Commander Suma said 213 passengers are still missing or feared dead.
Sierra Leone Information Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo
Ibrahim Ben Kargbo
Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo , commonly known as I.B. Kargbo, is a Sierra Leonean journalist and politician . He is currently the Sierra Leone Government official spokesman and Sierra Leone's Minister of Information and Communication since October 2007 in the government of Ernest Bai Koroma...
said the cause of the accident will be fully investigated. The Sierra Leone Police
Sierra Leone Police
The Sierra Leone Police locally known as Salone Police is the national police force of the Republic of Sierra Leone, responsible for law enforcement and crime investigation throughout Sierra Leone...
special investigation unit spokesman Ibrahim Samura said overloading and bad weather
Bad Weather
"Bad Weather" is a song recorded and released as a single by Motown vocal group The Supremes in 1973. It was composed and produced by Stevie Wonder The song was then-lead singer Jean Terrell's last charted single as a member of the Supremes and the second and last time brief group member Lynda...
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 a day of mourning
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 conferenceNews conference
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
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.
President Koroma visits Shenge
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. 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.”