11 rescued from sinking vessel on Liberian coast

Eleven people have been rescued, while 10 remain unaccounted for, as a vessel carrying 21 people sank on Saturday evening on Liberia's coastal waters.

"The search and rescue operations launched by the Armed Forces of Liberia Coast Guard have rescued eleven persons who were on board the sinking vessel," Army Chief of Staff Major General Prince C. Johnson told journalists on Sunday afternoon.

Maritime Commissioner Eugene Lenn Nagbe, speaking earlier, said that the vessel had been banned for safety reasons.

The vessel departed the Port of Monrovia for Harper on Saturday morning and reportedly started to take in water about six nautical miles off the coast of Marshall city, he said. Maritime authorities and armed forces mobilized resources, including assets and personnel, and immediately started search and rescue efforts, he said.

He disclosed that on board were nine examination plotters from the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The plotters were going ahead of the WASSCE examination schedule for Monday, across the country.

The vessel, according to the maritime authority, was used mainly for cargo, and not for passengers.

Nagbe assured Liberians that the government through the Liberian Coast Guard is making every effort available to ensure that the remaining 10 persons are rescued alive.

The southeastern part of Liberia is usually cut off from the rest of the country due to inaccessible roads during the rainy season.