20 travelers feared dead in boat mishap off Senegal’s coast

Reports had it that no fewer than 20 people, most of who are women, were killed when a locally-made boat turned over off Senegal’s central coast in a delta region known for its tourists’ attraction.The incident was made known by firefighters who spoke with AFP on Tuesday.The traditional flat-bottomed boat capsized off Bettenty, an Island just north of The Gambia, having 72 passengers on board.Commander Umar Kane, who is a senior firefighting official, said only two of those on board were not women. “Unfortunately, we have 20 bodies and one person missing,” Kane said while speaking to AFP, admitting that about 51 people had been rescued.The ugly incident occurred in a coastal area famous for its rich seafood like oysters and large concentration of tourists.Bettenty is an island area in the Saloum delta, often plied by locally-made boats to navigate mangroves and islets.Kane said the major cause of the accident was not immediately known, even as divers were involved in the search.But L’Observateur daily suspected the boat had lost bearing in high winds, while other news media hinged their thoughts on overloading.