By: Tommy Sidikie, Reporter
The riverside community of Gbainty Wallah in Lokomasama Chiefdom is mourning the tragic loss of three young students from Gbainty Wallah Kankaylay Islamic Agriculture Secondary School, who died in a boat accident on November 5. The girls—Fatmata Shekuna Kamara, an SSS 2 student; Fatmata Sheka Kamara, a JSS 2 student; and Salamatu Cole, also a JSS 2 student—were part of a group of 11 returning home from school when the tragedy occurred.
The accident has left families and the community devastated. Despite rescue efforts, only two of the girls’ bodies have been recovered, while the search for Salamatu Cole continues along the river. Many students from the school, coming from remote villages, have resorted to boat travel after severe flooding destroyed the only bridge connecting their communities to Gbainty Wallah and nearby towns. This dangerous mode of transport has become necessary due to long distances and limited transportation options. On the day of the accident, students eager to return home boarded an overloaded boat, despite warnings from the captain, Alpha. After disembarking to reduce the weight, he left the vessel in the hands of a fellow student, Foday Kamara, who lacked the experience to navigate safely. Tragically, the boat capsized in the swift currents of the Katick River.
Local rescue teams responded swiftly, but for the three young girls, help arrived too late. Fatmata Shekuna Kamara and Fatmata Sheka Kamara have since been laid to rest, while Salamatu Cole’s family continues to hold out hope as search efforts persist. In the wake of this disaster, Hon. Ishmael Sankoh Yillah, Member of Parliament for Port Loko District, visited the bereaved families to offer condolences and support. He has arranged for a larger outboard motorboat to improve student transportation and pledged to engage local stakeholders to prioritize the reconstruction of the washed-away bridge. The tragic deaths of these young girls have cast a shadow over the community, intensifying calls for improved safety measures to prevent such heartbreaking incidents in the future.
