Officials in Sierra Leone say at least 200 people are missing and
feared drowned after a boat capsized off the coast of the west African
nation.
Eight people have been confirmed dead and 37 have been rescued as officials continue to search for survivors.
Transportation authorities have been unable to determine the exact number of passengers.
Police
said the boat, carrying a large number of schoolchildren, turned over
late Wednesday in a heavy storm south of the capital, Freetown.
Authorities
have not said what caused the accident. However, maritime accidents
are not uncommon in Sierra Leone where boats are often overloaded and
safety standards are frequently lacking or ignored.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
