Read for you - Ousmane Gano, a Senegalese survivor of the shipwreck off the Mediterranean tells the HORROR

Ousmane Gano recounts his adventure on the road to exile, the Baux station Maraîchers to Sicily via Niger, Sahara Desert, Libya - He was with the 800 migrants died in the sinking of their boat
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The horror is far away. Ousmane Gano (photo) is one of 28 survivors of the sinking of the boat migrants that left more than 800 dead off the coast of Libya, last weekend. He is now trying to recover his spirits and his forces in the south of Italy in Catania (Sicily), in the largest refugee center in Europe (4000 people from 35 nationalities).

The miracle has agreed to tell his story. His departure from Dakar, the station Maraîchers Baux to his misadventure in the Mediterranean, through its crossing of the Sahara desert in Libya and galleys. This is the story of a young upholsterer, who lived in Grand Yoff and maintains in a corner of his mind its flowery dreams of a better life.

"I'm 31, am from Vélingara and single. Professional upholsterer, I lived in Grand Yoff. I am one of the survivors of the sinking of migrant vessel that killed more than 800 people off Libya. Our boat contained more than 900 people of different nationalities, Mali, Ethiopia, Niger ...

"The incident occurred in international waters, on the night of Saturday, April 18 to Sunday 19, hours after our departure from Libya. The boat was overloaded. It contained more than 900 people when it had a capacity of only 800 passengers. We noticed that he was inclined to one side. It took the captain of the ship, a Tunisian, ordered the passengers relocation so that the ship finds more stability.

"Everyone was worried, but we had no choice. We were at sea. The disaster occurred when the boat for some reason everyone ignores, collided with a Chinese ship anchored offshore. Our boat capsized and were beginning to cling to others to save their skin. We could hear screams everywhere. It was the panic. I swam at least thirty minutes, pressing me to the bodies of the dead to rest from time to time before joining the Chinese ship, which had displaced more than a hundred meters from the place of the accident. The crew of the ship sent to survivors ropes and raised the alarm for help.

"28 people were rescued and 24 bodies were found. Quarantine Senegalese who was the trip, we are only two miracles for a body found. We spent the night on the Chinese ship before being collected by the Italian Red Cross, which took us into the center (in the south of Italy, Sicily).

"I have long matured the proposed trip. I heard echoes of the circuit run by Senegalese smugglers, Moroccan, Mali, among others. I discussed it with my brother and I was encouraged by one of my cousins, who borrowed the same channels to immigrate. Passed through Italy, he lived in France for nearly a year. I saved 800,000 CFA francs for the trip.

"I left Senegal on 1 November 2014. I took the bus to the station Maraîchers Baux. I paid 75,000 CFA francs to go to the Niger. After two days on the road, we arrived in Niamey. From there, I pay 19,000 francs CFA to reach Agadez. To cross the desert, I paid 110,000 CFA francs. Happened in Libya, we contact the smugglers. The price of crossing the Mediterranean between 300 000 Swiss francs to 700,000 CFA francs. I paid 300 000, but it will be rolled in flour by the smuggler. I had to extend my stay in Libya to work as a laborer in various projects to earn money. Six months later, I pay 350,000 CFA francs. We will leave Libya on 18 April.

"Today, we are well supported by the center. We have no idea of ​​our future, but I intend to stay here. Nothing in the world, after all the sacrifices, I will not return to Senegal. »