The tragedy happened yesterday January 3, 2021, in the oil-rich coastal town of Port Gentil in Gabon. Three of the drowned victims were members of the same family. They had left Cameroon for Gabon to visit their older brother, who then took them to the beach for a fun time together.
The four victims go by the names Ghislaine Wamba, Anderson Feudjio, Nasser Ningha, and Vidric. It is reported that three of the victims died while trying to save one other person who was taken by a strong tide.
However, according to some locals of the area, the Gabonese government had specifically prohibited people from swimming inside it due to the precarious conditions of the waves and the risks that accompany venturing into it.
Despite the fact that the waters of the beach are often rough and extremely dangerous, another reason for the prohibition is due to the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic.
The Gabonese government had sought to limit the spread that it believed could have been easily transmitted through swimming in public beaches.