PHOTO: Survivor Raymond C. Yeon now speaking from the safety of his residence
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
More questions are coming out concerning how the detained vessel that capsized, Niko Ivanka near Buchanan left the Freeport of Monrovia, with more than 15 passengers still missing and feared dead.
Some 48 hours after the sinking of the boat, the between15-17 missing passengers are now beginning to be feared dead.
But after 39 hours after the disaster, on Monday one additional passenger was miraculously found alive.
So far, there is no lead as to who authorized the vessel to leave the main seaport in Monrovia, not only with cargo but with dozens of passengers on board. Which one of the officials at the Port and the Maritime Authority gave the greenlight to the vessel in question to sail out of the port with both passengers and cargo on that fateful day?, many are asking.
But many are also concerned about who telling the truth in this situation when uncertainty continues to surround the fate of more than 15 people still missing.
After the boat sank between Marshall and Buchanan on Saturday July 17, 2021 at about 2pm, the government of Liberia says it was not aware about the vessel leaving the Freeport of Monrovia. But who authorized it remains the big question.
However, in an interview with the subject officer at WAEC Liberia Mr. Raymond C. Yeon, who is one of the survivors among the first eleven rescued on the sinking vessel, said at his ELWA residence that a total number of 26 persons were on board the vessel when it sank.
Even though the Liberian government through it Maritime Authority Commissioner, Lenn Eugene Nagbe said the boat was detained since May 28, 2021 because it didn’t meet the safety requirements.
However, how come was it possible for a boat that was detained was seen carrying LEC transformers, many bags of cement and several other materials for the very government?
According Mr. Yeon, one of WAEC staffers who was rescued on Saturday July 17, 2021, said the vessel left the free port of Monrovia at 7:01am and the sailing was going well but at 2pm the vessel began to take in water from the front (sinking) in Marshall City at deep sea and at that moment, everyone on the vessel were thinking about their survival.
The WAEC subject officer further informed Journalists that he observed that the vessel was overloaded, not sea worthy, and that it was a vessel only meant for Cargo. But he said being that their work calls for National duty, they brave the storm and boarded the vessel, never having prior knowledge about whether the boat was detained.
Commissioner Nagbe on Sunday told the media that the boat was a cargo vessel and not a passenger one.
Survivor Yeon further added that it was WAEC office that made the arrangements with the vessel’s authority.
He explained that after the boat sank at deep sea, they came across the first boat that was on sea and they tried to signal the boat. But apparently, those sailing the boat didn’t hear them or for whatever reason, they were left alone until the sea Shepard came to their rescue at 12pm.
Mr. Yeon further said that he had no history of swimming but it was by God’s grace he was saved.
He is in prayers with the families of his colleagues who have not yet been found so that they can be rescued.
The WAEC staff who survived the sinking of the boat is still hopeful that his colleagues will be found, since the Chinese national who was also on the vessel was found on Monday, July 19, 2021.
List of the 11 survivors released on Monday:
