Eight convictions in the 2023 Esther Miracle ferry disaster in Gabon

For three years, survivors and the families of victims of the Esther Miracle ferry disaster have waited for justice.

The boat carrying 165 people sank between Libreville and Port-Gentil off the coast of Gabon on the night of 8-9 March 2023, officially claiming the lives of 34 people, with 7 still missing.

On Thursday, a Libreville court found the operating company, Royal Coast Marine, and eight of the defendants guilty of endangering the lives of others.

The individuals were sentenced to 38 months in prison, which covers time already spent in detention for those still in jail, and fined $1,774 each. Thee company was fined nearly $8,900.

In addition to endangering lives, the ship’s captain and another defendant were also convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

The verdict has sparked outrage among the civil parties with their lawyers already saying they plan to appeal.

They are particularly unhappy with the compensation which is set at $3,500 per shipwrecked person – far less than victims and their families had hoped for.

Lawyer Calvin Job said the compensation showed a “real disregard” for the suffering of victims and the memory of those who died.

The sinking of the Esther Miracle remains one of Gabon’s worst maritime disasters in recent years.