Ship description.
The Le Joola was built as a coastal ferry by Schiffswerft Germersheim GmbH, in 1989/90. She was 79,5 M long overall with a shallow draft of only 3,1 M, her capacity being 536 passengers with a crew of 44. She was owned by the Ministere de Equipement, in Dakar, Senegal and used on the route from South Senegal to the capital, Dakar. Reports stated that the ferry had been out of service for a year for repairs and had only just recommenced operation 2 weeks previously.	The Le Joola.
Causes of and factors contributing to the loss of the Le Joola.
On Thursday 26 September 2002, the coastal ferry encountered rough seas and rain while making a run from South Senegal to the capital, Dakar. A survivor of the tragedy explained that nothing was out of the ordinary as they boarded the ferry on the evening of the 26th. He explained that all that changed at around 10. p.m. when many passengers who were fast asleep or watching film on television were jolted by a sudden heavy rainstorm, which coincided with boisterous waves, rocking the boat and overturning it in the space of four minutes. Pandemonium ensued as frightened people tried to escape from the fully laden ferry. The overcrowded ferry was hopelessly overloaded and 970 people were missing or dead. By the next week it was confirmed that 64 people were saved. Officials had initially thought just over 700 people were dead and missing, but that number soared still higher when the government revealed Sunday that 1,034 had been on board. The Media reported that the ill fated ship was designed for no more than 600 people. Its flat-bottom giving it less protection against rising waves and that she was not meant for voyages in the high seas. By the 29th, 299 bodies had been recovered in Dakar and Gambia, near where the ferry capsized.	.