Relief supplies arrive

A ship loaded with 20,000 blankets and some 850 boxes of heavy-duty plastic sheeting intended for displaced people arrived at the port of Freetown yesterday, Reuters reported. The consignment, sent by the CARE relief agency, will be used to build temporary shelters for the tens of thousands of people displaced in the country. Humanitarian sources said today that another 240 rolls of plastic sheeting and another 30,000 blankets would be sent soon. 12 drown as refugee boat sinks At least 12 people died and dozens more were reported missing after a boat full of Sierra Leoneans fleeing war in their country struck a rock and sank just off Freetown, Reuters reported, quoting maritime officials. The boat was heading for Pepel on the mainland from the Freetown peninsula. Fishermen rescued at least 10 people. The report did not say how many people were on the boat, the Tamaraneh.