Many people are feared drowned after a local boat returning from market-day trading in Nongowa in Guinea, capsized in a river early on Tuesday on the border between Guinea and Kailahun district in eastern Sierra Leone.

The District Security Coordinator, Josephine Wuya Fatorma, told AYV that a woman and a girl had so far been confirmed dead, while several others remained unaccounted for.

She said that 35 people had been rescued, 31 of whom were currently in Nongowa while four were responding to treatment in Koindu.

She said rescue efforts were led by Guineans who deployed their maritime resources including boats and divers, with Sierra Leonean soldiers, police and Red Cross assisting.

The river itself is part of Yenga which is disputed by the two neighbouring countries and controlled by Guinea.

Madam Fatorma said that a joint security meeting was planned for tomorrow when the 31 people would be brought across and handed over to the Sierra Leonean officials.

She said that “several others” were still missing, but she couldn’t give an exact figure because those rescued were too traumatised to provide accurate details.