Twenty years ago, a ship named the Joola capsized off the coast of the Gambia as it sailed from the south to the north of Senegal.
Nearly 1,900 lives were lost in the disaster, more than on the Titanic, but few outside Senegal know about this tragedy.
#THREAD 1/ | #Joola
Nearly 1,900 lives were lost in the disaster, more than on the Titanic, but few outside Senegal know about this tragedy.
#THREAD 1/ | #Joola
A new BBC Africa documentary investigates what happened that day and why the survivors and the relatives of the victims, believe justice still has not been done.
2/ | #Joola
2/ | #Joola
On September 26 2002, the Joola had only just returned to service after being out for engine repair for more than a year.
The boat had been manufactured in Germany and first delivered to the Senegalese government back in 1990.
3/ | #Joola
The boat had been manufactured in Germany and first delivered to the Senegalese government back in 1990.
3/ | #Joola
The Joola regularly sailed from a southern port of Senegal, Ziguinchor, to the capital in the north, Dakar.
It was a popular choice as it allowed travellers to circumvent the border checks that came with journeying through the Gambia and poor quality roads.
4/ | #Joola
It was a popular choice as it allowed travellers to circumvent the border checks that came with journeying through the Gambia and poor quality roads.
4/ | #Joola
On the day of the disaster the boat became overloaded at Ziguinchor, yet more passengers boarded at the next port.
Lamine Coly was the only survivor of the 35 that had journeyed from his village. He remembers the chaos on board as they sailed in to a deadly storm.
5/ | #Joola
Lamine Coly was the only survivor of the 35 that had journeyed from his village. He remembers the chaos on board as they sailed in to a deadly storm.
5/ | #Joola
Out of the nearly 2000 passengers, Mariama Diouf is the only woman to have survived what happened that day.
She recounts the terrifying build up of the storm and the extraordinary strength it took for her to survive.
6/ | #Joola
She recounts the terrifying build up of the storm and the extraordinary strength it took for her to survive.
6/ | #Joola
444 children died when the Joola capsized. Elie Diatta's brother, Michel, ran a local football academy and had taken a group of children on a trip with him.
Michel escaped from the ship when it overturned, but didn't survive when he tried to save the children.
7/ | #Joola
Michel escaped from the ship when it overturned, but didn't survive when he tried to save the children.
7/ | #Joola
The tragedy impacted many families across Senegal including the national football team's now coach, Aliou Cissé.
He lost 11 members of his family on the Joola, including his sister.
8/ | #Joola
He lost 11 members of his family on the Joola, including his sister.
8/ | #Joola
Retired engineer and author, Pat Wiley has been researching what happened on the Joola for over a decade.
He believes negligence by the Senegalese government at the time, contributed to the scale of the disaster.
9/ | #Joola
He believes negligence by the Senegalese government at the time, contributed to the scale of the disaster.
9/ | #Joola
Mariama says it was the Gambian navy who helped her to shore and does not recall any support from the Senegalese authorities.
10/ | #Joola
10/ | #Joola
"We would be hurt but we would start to heal as well."
Elie Diatta and other relatives of those who died on the Joola want the wreckage raised to fully mourn the loss of their loved ones.
Senegal's government are yet to comment on whether they plan to do so.
11/ | #Joola
Elie Diatta and other relatives of those who died on the Joola want the wreckage raised to fully mourn the loss of their loved ones.
Senegal's government are yet to comment on whether they plan to do so.
11/ | #Joola
This documentary is the first time Aliou Cissè has wanted to speak on camera about the tragedy.
He told us it's important that those who died know, "that we are still thinking of them."
12/ | #Joola
He told us it's important that those who died know, "that we are still thinking of them."
12/ | #Joola
'The Joola: Africa's Titanic' Director's Cut is now available to stream exclusively on the BBC Africa YouTube channel. ▶️
13/13 | #Joola
13/13 | #Joola
This documentary was filmed and directed by @efremg_ & @nicolamilne123 and was a team effort which would have been impossible without @wahany, @Fredcikaw, @johnwendle, Caroline Hamilton, Loredana Neagoe, Ousu Boy, Maimouna Diarra and @BabsDiarra.
This BBC Africa digital documentary was commissioned by @verakwakofi, @merqueen234 & @MarkoZoricNews.
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