On the night of October 15, a cargo ship named Princesse Jessica sank after an accident at the Port of Dakar, Senegal. The ship was 77 meters long and had been moored at Pier 2 with only a small crew onboard.
A 190-meter bulk carrier named Zografia, which was carrying a cargo of sugar, accidentally collided with the Princesse Jessica while maneuvering to berth at Pier 3. This impact caused serious damage to the Princesse Jessica‘s left side (port side), tearing a hole in its hull below the waterline.
Crew Abandoned Ship Before It Sank
The Princesse Jessica had only three crew members onboard: two mechanics and a cook. They tried to control the flooding, but it quickly became too dangerous. The ship started leaning heavily to the side, and the crew had no choice but to abandon it. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
As the vessel took on water, it rolled over and sank, leaving only a part of the right side (starboard) hull above water. The Zografia, however, only suffered minor damage, and no crew members were harmed on either ship.
Minimal Disruption at the Port
Authorities reached the scene quickly and secured the area. They reported that the accident had very little impact on port operations and traffic.
Background of Princesse Jessica
According to officials, the Princesse Jessica had been sitting idle at the port for more than five months. The ship had no official flag at the time of the accident. It had previously sailed under the Togolese flag, but the registration was dropped earlier this year. In fact, the vessel has changed flags and names multiple times since it was built in 1990. It only adopted the name Princesse Jessica in May 2023.
