塞拉利昂当局表示，塞拉利昂沿海发生沉船事件，至少有200名旅客失踪，人们担心他们已经死亡。 目前已经确认有8人死亡，有37人获救。
救援人员仍在全力搜寻生还者。交通部门官员表示现在还无法确定船上确切的乘客人数。警方说，这搜满载学校学生的船只星期三晚些时候在强风暴中在首都弗里敦以南的海域翻覆。
目前当局还没有说明出事原因。但是在塞拉利昂沉船事件并不罕见，因为船只经常超载，缺乏或是不遵守安全标准。
Officials in Sierra Leone say at least 200 people are missing and feared drowned after a boat capsized off the coast of the west African nation.Eight people have been confirmed dead and 37 have been rescued as officials continue to search for survivors.
Transportation authorities have been unable to determine the exact number of passengers.Police said the boat, carrying a large number of schoolchildren, turned over late Wednesday in a heavy storm south of the capital, Freetown.
Authorities have not said what caused the accident. However, maritime accidents are not uncommon in Sierra Leone where boats are often overloaded and safety standards are frequently lacking or ignored.