The riverside community of Gbainty Wallah in Lokomasama Chiefdom is grieving the tragic loss of three young students from Gbainty Wallah Kankaylay Islamic Agriculture Secondary School after a boat accident claimed their lives.

The incident, which took place on November 5th as the girls returned home from school, has left families and the entire community devastated. Despite the efforts of rescue teams, only two of the three bodies have been recovered, while the search for the third continues along the river.

The three victims—Fatmata Shekuna Kamara, an SSS 2 student; Fatmata Sheka Kamara, a JSS 2 student; and Salamatu Cole, another JSS 2 student—were part of a group of 11 on board. Many students from the school, hailing from remote villages along the river, had to turn to boat travel after severe flooding washed away the only bridge connecting their communities to Gbainty Wallah and other nearby towns.

The journey to and from school has always been a struggle for these students, with long distances to walk and the scarcity of transportation options. With the bridge destroyed, they had no choice but to navigate the river. This mode of transport has its risks, as overcrowding has become common, especially among students eager to reach home before nightfall.

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On the day of the accident, students were anxious to get on the first boat trip home, and despite repeated warnings from Alpha, the boat’s captain, the vessel was overloaded. In frustration, Alpha disembarked to lighten the load, leaving the boat in the hands of a fellow student, Foday Kamara, who took the helm despite lacking the experience to navigate the waters safely. Tragically, shortly after they set out, the overloaded boat capsized in the swift currents of the Katick River.

Local rescue teams responded quickly, yet for the three young girls, help came too late. Fatmata Shekuna Kamara and Fatmata Sheka Kamara’s bodies were found and have since been laid to rest. Still, the family of Salamatu Cole continues to hold onto hope as search efforts press on.

Following the accident, Hon. Ishmael Sankoh Yillah, Member of Parliament for Port Loko District, visited the bereaved families to offer his condolences and support. Recognising the dire need for safer transportation, he has arranged for a larger outboard motorboat to serve the students. Hon. Yillah also promised to engage local stakeholders to prioritise the reconstruction of the washed-away bridge, aiming to restore safe passage for families in the isolated villages of Katick, Kagbolor, and Kalangba.

The tragic deaths of these young girls have cast a pall over the community, and the call for improved safety measures has grown louder. With greater support and more reliable transportation, Gbainty Wallah and its neighbouring villages hope to prevent such heartbreaking incidents from happening again.