By Adama Makasuba
The boat was transporting the football players of Kerr Sanyang at the Bikindik Koto river crossing point to Jinak. The deaths were Nama Sarr and Abdou Kadir Gaye.
Momodou Jallow, who used to lead the team to Jinak for their matches, described the accident as “negligence.” “They went less than 50 meters, and the boat capsized. They were even lucky that it was during low tide. As God may have it, another boat was coming from Jinak, and some people from Bakindiki came to their rescue. He said in the process of helping each other, two of the team members lost their lives, and others were hospitalized.
Franchis Gomez, also a player, said he was part of the second trip to cross by the boat that went with the first team to Jinak. He said they were waiting for the boat to return for the journey but heard about the incident. When the boat capsized, Lamin D. Saine was on board the vessel with 21 others. He said the boat was meant for something other than carrying people.
According to the Alkalo of Kerr-Sanyang, Dodou Saine said this incident is not the first of its kind.
“Yes, a similar incident happened some years ago in which someone lost his life.” The Alkalo also blamed the first person they hired to help, thereby leading to the tragic loss of two of their youth.