By: Mohamed J. Bangura
Three people have died and 44 others have been rescued after a boat capsized on the Makona River along the Guinea-Sierra Leone border, police have confirmed.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when a boat travelling from Guinea to Sierra Leone capsized near the middle of the river. The boat was reportedly carrying at least 47 people, including Sierra Leoneans and Guineans.
According to the Sierra Leone Police, the three deceased include a Guinean soldier, a 60-year-old Sierra Leonean woman and a Sierra Leonean child.
Police spokesman Superintendent Bobson Sennu confirmed the incident during the weekly police press conference at Police Headquarters in Kingtom, Freetown.
Sennu said authorities had so far accounted for 47 people involved in the incident, comprising three fatalities and 44 survivors. However, he said police were still verifying whether additional passengers were onboard and remain unaccounted for.
“What we can confirm is that 47 people were involved in the incident. Three died and 44 were rescued alive. We are still verifying whether there were more people onboard who are unaccounted for,” Sennu said.
Police sources said the boat was travelling from Guinea into Sierra Leone when it capsized in the middle of the Makona River, which forms part of the natural border between the two countries.
Most of the passengers are believed to have been traders who regularly travel between Koindu in Kailahun District, Sierra Leone, and Guéckédou in Guinea.
The incident has again raised concerns about the safety of river transport along the border, where travellers often rely on locally made boats due to the absence of formal bridges at several crossing points.
Police said the bodies of the three deceased had been recovered. The 60-year-old woman and the child were Sierra Leoneans reportedly returning from Guinea, while the Guinean soldier was said to have been travelling in civilian clothing.
The 44 survivors are receiving medical attention at a health facility near the border. Some reportedly sustained minor injuries and suffered shock following the incident.
Authorities in Guinea and Sierra Leone are also coordinating efforts to reunite the survivors with their families.
Police said investigations were continuing to establish the exact cause of the accident. Preliminary accounts from survivors have pointed to possible overloading and strong river currents as contributing factors.
Superintendent Sennu urged boat operators along the border rivers to comply with safety regulations and avoid overloading, particularly during the rainy season when river levels and currents can become dangerous.
He also called on relevant authorities, including the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority and the Maritime Administration, to work with local authorities to strengthen safety measures along the river.
Meanwhile, search operations are continuing along the Makona River to determine whether any additional passengers may be missing.
The Sierra Leone Police said they would provide further updates as more information becomes available.