AGAINSTn Saturday morning, the sun rises over the clear and gentle waters of the Arcachon basin. There is not a breath of wind. Around the fish market in the fishing port of Arcachon, there are not many people. And those who are there, employees of the fish market, fishmongers are inevitably still in shock from the tragedy that occurred on the night of Thursday December 21 to Friday December 22: the “Cycnos”, a 12 meter Arcachon gillnet, crashed against the Socoa Dike, in the Basque Country. If the skipper of the boat was able to be rescued, the two sailors, Karamo Ndong, 58 years old, and Moustapha Ndong, 30 years old, could not be rescued. And their…
AGAINSTn Saturday morning, the sun rises over the clear and gentle waters of the Arcachon basin. There is not a breath of wind. Around the fish market in the fishing port of Arcachon, there are not many people. And those who are there, employees of the fish market, fishmongers are inevitably still in shock from the tragedy that occurred on the night of Thursday December 21 to Friday December 22: the “Cycnos”, a 12 meter Arcachon gillnet, crashed against the Socoa Dike, in the Basque Country. If the skipper of the boat was able to be rescued, the two sailors, Karamo Ndong, 58 years old, and Moustapha Ndong, 30 years old, could not be rescued. And their bodies have still not been found.
Friday evening, the city of Arcachon published a press release in which it explains that “this is a moment of pain and suffering for all of us”, that “everything that affects the world of the sea affects each Arcachon resident, personally” . » It’s true: the Yannick Bestaven group of sailors Scouts and Guides of France from the Arcachon basin explains in a Facebook publication “to join in prayer” with this tragedy.
Funny lives
Karamo and Moustapha were Senegalese, like quite a few fishermen from Arcachon since the 1960s. Links are being forged between this great African country and Arcachon. Today, around fifteen Senegalese fishermen still work for the Arcachon boats. “There were a few more of us before, but some left for the port of Royan,” says Lamine Diedhiou, their representative in the Basin.
He knew the two missing people well. “Despite their last name, they were not related. Karamo arrived in Arcachon thirty years ago with other Senegalese, he continues. He was born in Senegal. His family lives in Mbour, a town about sixty kilometers from Dakar. He has always fished, even in his country. He was a very good fisherman. He sailed for a long time on the “Georges André” and the “Excalibur”. Subsequently, he found himself on other boats. He had come here to work and earn money. He often returned home to see his family and children. He was due to leave on December 29. »
“He came here to work and earn money. He often returned home to see his family and children. He was due to leave on December 29. »
Lamine tries, but he doesn’t remember Karamo ever having a fishing accident during his long career in Arcachon. Until that fatal night of Friday December 22.
The work is the same in Africa as here, but the salary has nothing to do with it. “Moustapha was also married and had two children in Senegal,” assures Lamine Diedhiou. He sent them money every month. He had been working in Arcachon for two or three years. He hasn’t returned to Senegal since, I think he was planning to return there this spring, after the gillnet season. He also went fishing in Spain. He was shy. He didn’t go out much. He went fishing and, more often than not, stayed at home. He felt good on the “Cycnos”, like Karamo. » His brother also lives on the Basin and is on board the “Poseidon”, the other boat of Stéphane Brouillet, the owner of the “Cycnos”.
David Patsouris
Funny lives
These Senegalese fishermen from Arcachon lead strange lives. “It’s not easy, yes, I admit it,” continues Lamine. The work is hard and there is no family life. » In Arcachon, the small Senegalese community works hard to feed families back home and put fish on the plates of the French.
“We talk about the country, we give each other news about Senegal, and then being between us allows us to put a lot of things aside. It’s not a fun life, it’s very complicated. »
She is discreet. She has her habits. At the tobacco bar Le Rallye, in the Aiguillon district, near the port. We drink coffee there, we also play lotto and scratch cards. “Yes, we see each other there a lot,” confirms Lamine. This is the meeting place. We have to meet like this. Or we invite ourselves over. We talk about the country, we give each other news about Senegal, and then being between us helps to put a lot of things aside. It’s not a fun life, it’s very complicated. »
“Good sailors”
Senegalese fishermen have always been very appreciated in the Basin. They generally started fishing very young and know the trade well. They also know the sea. “They adapt very well on boats,” explains Lamine. They are good sailors, they have a lot of self-sacrifice and are courageous in the face of this difficult work and in the face of the sea.”
What will happen now? “Their families have been warned,” assures Lamine Diedhiou. I hope that the bodies will be found and then repatriated to Senegal where they will rest. » This Saturday, no new information made it possible to resume the searches interrupted Friday at the end of the day.
gn france
