Emergencies and World Disasters
They Watched Through Glass: The Day Le Joola Became a Mass Grave
22 min•24 juli 2026
Om avsnittet
They Watched Through Glass: The Day Le Joola Became a Mass Grave
Fear of being so close and utterly powerless drives this episode: a retired navy diver looked through a sealed porthole at living passengers pressing their hands and gesturing - and then swam away because opening the door would have sunk the hull. The MV Le Joola capsized on September 26, 2002 with at least 1,863 dead; how did documented failures and routine choices turn a routine ferry crossing into nearly two thousand deaths?
In this episode, we present the sequence of events, the human stories and the documented failures that led to the disaster, from chronic overcrowding to an invalid sailing license and a one-engine ferry leaving tilted at departure - so how did these facts combine to make rescue impossible?
Person: Captain Issa Diarra
Date: September 26, 2002
Location: off the coast of Gambia (route Ziguinchor-Dakar)
Event: Capsizing within five minutes after encountering a storm
Status: At least 1,863 dead
- Design capacity of the MV Le Joola: 536 passengers
- Estimated number aboard when leaving Ziguinchor: approximately 1,928 passengers
- Additional passengers boarding at Carabane: 185 people
- Confirmed number of women aboard: more than 600, with exactly 1 female survivor named Mariama Diouf
- Confirmed number of children who died: at least 444 children
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Fear of being so close and utterly powerless drives this episode: a retired navy diver looked through a sealed porthole at living passengers pressing their hands and gesturing - and then swam away because opening the door would have sunk the hull. The MV Le Joola capsized on September 26, 2002 with at least 1,863 dead; how did documented failures and routine choices turn a routine ferry crossing into nearly two thousand deaths?
In this episode, we present the sequence of events, the human stories and the documented failures that led to the disaster, from chronic overcrowding to an invalid sailing license and a one-engine ferry leaving tilted at departure - so how did these facts combine to make rescue impossible?
Person: Captain Issa Diarra
Date: September 26, 2002
Location: off the coast of Gambia (route Ziguinchor-Dakar)
Event: Capsizing within five minutes after encountering a storm
Status: At least 1,863 dead
- Design capacity of the MV Le Joola: 536 passengers
- Estimated number aboard when leaving Ziguinchor: approximately 1,928 passengers
- Additional passengers boarding at Carabane: 185 people
- Confirmed number of women aboard: more than 600, with exactly 1 female survivor named Mariama Diouf
- Confirmed number of children who died: at least 444 children
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Emergencies and World Disasters med Creator at Obomedia finns tillgänglig på flera plattformar. Informationen på denna sida kommer från offentliga podd-flöden.