They Were Supposed to Board the Joola and Missed It: The Fates of Those Who Escaped the Shipwreck by Chance

Eighty-three people survived the Joola disaster due to decisions or discomfort before boarding, showing how fate can change in an instant. Witnesses recount how mere meters or a simple choice separated life from death on September 26, 2002, when the overloaded ferry capsized off Gambia, resulting in 1,863 deaths. Among them, Alioune Tine watched the ship depart with unease, and some, like Lamine Coly, avoided the wreck by refusing to reboard or being in the toilets when it capsized.