One of the biggest shipping accidents: the Joola sank in 2002

AP

Twenty years ago, the passenger ship “Joola” sank off the coast of Senegal. The disaster is one of the worst shipping disasters in history. It hasn’t been worked up to this day.

When the “Joola” passed the mouth of the Gambia River at 10 p.m. and sailed out onto the open Atlantic, the captain reported the best conditions over the radio. Just one hour later, however, the Senegalese ship was caught in a severe storm.

Shortly before midnight, survivors later recalled, a bang was heard on board. Panic breaks out on deck. Then the “Joola” capsizes. Less than ten minutes pass before only the orange hull of the 80 meter long ship can be seen. Almost 2,000 people drowned under him that night. Only 64 survive the accident, including a single woman.

The sinking of the “Joola” on September 26, 2002 is one of the deadliest shipwrecks in history. Nevertheless, to this day it has not been finally clarified why the catastrophe happened that night.

A television recording shows the

A television recording shows the “Joola” on the day of the accident shortly after departure. The ship is visibly overloaded and sways heavily even in calm waters.

Seyllou/EPA

Overcrowded, poorly maintained, unsuitable for the sea

The “Joola” was launched in a German shipyard in 1990 and then connected the city of Ziguinchor in the Senegalese province of Casamance with the capital Dakar. Their route was along the Atlantic coast; Despite the approximately 15-hour journey, the journey by sea was significantly faster and more comfortable than that by land.

The Senegalese army, which operated the ship, was repeatedly struggling with problems and breakdowns with the “Joola” just a few years after it was commissioned. On the one hand, this was due to the fact that, according to the manufacturer, the ship had actually been built for river navigation and was difficult to maneuver in high waves. On the other hand, the operators did not take the capacity limit very seriously. Although the “Joola” officially offered space for a maximum of 580 passengers, significantly more people were often left on board. As early as the 1990s, there were repeated allegations that the operators were neglecting the maintenance of the ship.

The German-made ship was built for river navigation.  In Senegal it was used in the Atlantic.

The German-made ship was built for river navigation. In Senegal it was used in the Atlantic.

EPA

It is undisputed that on the day of the accident twenty years ago, the “Joola” was more crowded than ever before. When the ship left Ziguinchor in the afternoon, there were probably over 2,000 people on deck. Because many passengers traveled without an official ticket, the exact number is still unknown.

One reason for the large crowd was the imminent start of the semester. Many students who wanted to return to the university in Dakar traveled with the “Joola”. In addition, the ship had previously been out of service for months for repairs.

Screaming and knocking from inside the ship

Observers later reported that the ship had swayed dangerously shortly after departure – possibly a consequence of the fact that there were an unusually large number of passengers on the open deck. Also, when rain later set in, many of these passengers are said to have shifted to one side of the deck, further compromising stability.

When the “Joola” tipped over and soon drifted on the open sea like an inverted nutshell, those trapped inside the ship waited in vain for rescue. Fishing boats that arrived at the scene of the accident during the night reported screams and knocking noises from the ship’s hull. But they could not free the people.

The Senegalese Navy did not reach the capsized ship until the next morning – too late for those trapped. At 3 p.m. the “Joola” sank, and with it the last hope of further survivors. The bodies of hundreds of those who died have never been found.

The Senegalese Navy did not arrive at the scene of the accident until the morning after the overnight capsize.  In the afternoon of the same day, the «Joola» sinks.

The Senegalese Navy did not arrive at the scene of the accident until the morning after the overnight capsize. In the afternoon of the same day, the «Joola» sinks.

EPA

Senegalese and French investigators later came to the conclusion that a chain of abuses had probably led to the accident: poor maintenance of the “Joola”, drastic overcrowding, the storm and a completely inadequate rescue operation.

Despite this, a lot has remained vague to this day – and that is no coincidence. The Senegalese state, which operated the ship, showed little interest in further investigations after the accident. The then President Abdoulaye Wade dismissed his prime minister and several other high officials. But many questions remained unanswered. The Joola file was closed in the summer of 2003, barely a year after the accident that claimed more victims than the Titanic.

A museum against oblivion

The result of looking the other way: the trauma of the downfall is repressed, it does not seem to have been processed to this day.

Survivors and those left behind have repeatedly tried to persuade the state to resume investigations and to make appropriate compensation payments. But the efforts were mostly in vain.

After all, after twenty years, a large memorial for the victims of the “Joola” accident is finally being built in Ziguinchor. The building is also a museum and is scheduled to open in the next few months.

This is a symbolic step in advance, but an important one. Intellectual circles in Senegal have repeatedly criticized the indifference with which the country – and even more so the world – looks back on the tragedy. Many believe that the construction of the memorial is also an important step against oblivion.

Coffins for the drowned at the port of Dakar.  But most of the victims were never found.

Coffins for the drowned at the port of Dakar. But most of the victims were never found.

Remy de la Mauviniere/AP

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