Cameroon shipwreck claims 3 lives, 107 saved in rescue operation - Army

A ship carrying about 200 people got into an accident off the Cameroonian Island of Bakassi, the army confirmed in a Facebook post on Monday.

A joint rescue team of the Cameroon’s special oil field protection group and the National Navy have carried out the rescue operations, the army added.

According to authorities, over 100 survivors have been rescued whiles three women have so far been confirmed dead. The victims have been “transferred to Bota Port in Limbe,” the statement added.

The incident is said to have occured on the night from 25 to 26 August 2019 following very stormy conditions. Local media portals have reported that the ship was from Nigeria and heading to a place known as Tiko Wharf from Keita Bakassi.

Authorities have yet to announce a probe and other details such as the capacity of the AUSTRHEIM and whether it was overloaded or otherwise is yet to be ascertained.

Incidents on the sea have led to loss of lives in different parts of Africa. The Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, has a notoriety for such accidents with one of the biggest in recent times being in Tanzania where 100s died after an incident in September 2018.