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S Leone boat tragedy 'kills 20' 'Scores drowned' on S Leone boat
(10 minutes later)
At least 21 people are missing after a boat capsized in a storm off the Sierra Leone coast, police say. At least 65 people are missing after a boat capsized in a storm off the Sierra Leone coast, police say.
Other reports say 50 died and more than 100 people missing after the accident at the mouth of the Great Scarcies River near the Guinea border. Details are sketchy but police believe the boat was carrying about 85 people - more than it was designed to carry.
The motorised canoe had sailed from the capital, Freetown, for the northern town of Kasire on Thursday. The motorised canoe had sailed north from the capital, Freetown, on Thursday before overturning at the mouth of the Great Scarcies river.
Two people are said to have survived, while seven bodies have been recovered from the water. Two people survived, while seven bodies have been reportedly been recovered from the water.
"Members of the Sierra Leone navy, backed by some members of the boat association, left in the early hours for the disaster scene to join local fishermen who have been searching since the tragedy took place," a spokesman for the local boat owners' association, Michael Asuman, told Reuters news agency."Members of the Sierra Leone navy, backed by some members of the boat association, left in the early hours for the disaster scene to join local fishermen who have been searching since the tragedy took place," a spokesman for the local boat owners' association, Michael Asuman, told Reuters news agency.
It is not clear how many people were on board the boat - accurate lists are rarely kept.It is not clear how many people were on board the boat - accurate lists are rarely kept.
Police spokesman Chris Charley told the BBC that corpses were being transported back to Freetown.
August is the height of the rainy season in West Africa and violent storms are common.August is the height of the rainy season in West Africa and violent storms are common.
The BBC's Umaru Fofana in Freetown says many people, especially traders in Sierra Leone have little choice except to use dug-out canoes to get around and transport their goods.The BBC's Umaru Fofana in Freetown says many people, especially traders in Sierra Leone have little choice except to use dug-out canoes to get around and transport their goods.
He says these are often overcrowded, with little care for passenger safety.He says these are often overcrowded, with little care for passenger safety.
In June, at least 19 people died when a helicopter crashed taking passengers to the airport from Freetown.In June, at least 19 people died when a helicopter crashed taking passengers to the airport from Freetown.