CAMEROON: At least 30 West Africans drown after boat capsizes off coast

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

YAOUNDE, 5 Jul 2005 (IRIN) - At least 30 West Africans drowned when their boat capsized off the coast of Cameroon, en route to Gabon from Nigeria, state radio reported on Tuesday.

"A boat capsized at about 5:30 pm on Monday... killing 30 of the estimated 60 passengers on board," it said.

Cameroonian fisherman sighted the boat in trouble and managed to rescue about 30 passengers, who were from various countries in the region, including Nigeria, Mali, Benin, Togo and Niger.

With night falling and rough seas, the search for other survivors had to be abandoned, the radio said.

Those rescued were taken to hospital in Kribi, a port town, which is the terminus of an oil pipeline from southern Chad.

The Gulf of Guinea is a popular transit route for child traffickers and illegal West African immigrants seeking jobs in oil-producing Gabon.

Nearly 70 children, believed to be victims of child trafficking, were rescued from a sinking ship off Cameroon in 2001.

[ENDS]