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Senegal transport minister quits

From Charlayne Hunter-Gault (CNN Correspondent)

Family members walk past tables covered with photos of the ferry's unidentified dead.
Family members walk past tables covered with photos of the ferry's unidentified dead.

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DAKAR, Senegal (CNN) -- Senegal's transport minister resigned Tuesday, a day after the nation's president admitted there were "many, many mistakes" made in the sinking of a state-run ferry that killed more than 1,000 people.

Youssouf Sakho made his announcement shortly before President Abdoulaye Wade was to appear on national television for the first time since the ferry La Joola capsized Thursday in the Atlantic off Gambia.

Meanwhile, the nation's defense minister, Youba Sambou, also was expected to resign, sources close to Wade told CNN. The ferry was operated by the navy.

The government has said the death toll was expected to be 1,034, but Wade said apparently infants and children under 8 had not been counted and the toll could go higher.

The ship was not meant to navigate on the open sea and was built to carry 550 passengers. The ferry ran into a storm on its way from Casamance to Dakar. Only 65 people are confirmed to have survived.

Wade blamed the sinking on human negligence and vowed to prosecute those to blame. He has not released the results of a preliminary investigative report.

Wade also said that the government intends to compensate the families of victims and would "adopt" their children and provide for their education.



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