Timber Truckers: Surviving Total Isolation in Gabon | Deadliest Journeys

Timber Truckers: Surviving Total Isolation in Gabon | Deadliest Journeys

Across the world each morning is different. In the heart of the Gabonese forest, the bird’s dawn chorus
faces a serious competitor. Noise from those who are bogged down. Cries of encouragement can boost morale, but they can do nothing for this monster. Not even this 8 wheel drive
truck that came to lend a hand. Getting it to reverse seems impossible. The cable is screwed. Put it in front. Otherwise it’s no good. The truck will fall. I
will have an accident. If the knot holds, it will
end several days of misery. We’re saved. It was awful. I spent 3 or 4 days here. Now it’s okay. You have to trust in God. It was a miracle. Why do such large trucks
even try using these dirt tracks? In fact, they have no choice. It’s a crucial economic axis that
crosses Gabon from east to west. But only 20% of the route is paved. Like many African countries, Gabon
has no shortage of natural resources. Its offshore oil fields and
forests that cover most of its territory earned it the
nickname the African Emirate. After black gold, green gold is the
country’s second greatest resource. Without the forest, Gabon’s
economy would soon collapse. Transporting timber is
a dangerous business. On the Gabonese roads, the steering wheel
takes on the air of the funeral wreath. This is our daily routine. The driver’s composure
and skills are legendary. They call a sick insane. Gabon’s road network is one
of the least developed in Africa. And besides the nation’s 2
main cities, the capital Libreville and Port Gentil, are not
connected by road, but by river. Grab the cable! The Oguwe is a long
peaceful river, except for the sailors who are towing
thousands of wooden logs. Once they arrive in Libreville… Bring the stock here! Come on! When the trees are rolled
out in wooden sheets, they are used to make plywood
for furniture in Europe and Asia. The Okume tree is one
of the lords of the forest. It’s not the name of this man, but one of these giants. The tool that floors it needs
to be powerful and it is. A 1 meter power saw. Let’s start working the wood. The tree must be over 30 meters high? 30 mètres de long. Yokume has started the saw. It took a 100 years to get to this size. Humans take only a few
minutes to break it down. Its long journey begins. At the edge of the
forest, hundreds of trunks called logs are sorted
and piled into trucks. The load often exceeds 50 tons. Youssef is a true believer. But for his truck’s inspection
he has faith in just one person. I’ll redo the brakes myself.
I don’t let anyone else do it. Are the brakes the most
vital part of the truck ? They are. And you must never neglect
the brakes. They’re the life of the truck and of your own life. It
depends on it, I’ve no choice. Never trust anyone or anything is how
he’s survived so long to hide the wheel. It’s good. Although a little prayer helps too. Youssef takes to the
road with 2 other trucks. An epic journey awaits. The convoy leaves Lastoursville, hoping
to reach the capital Libreville in 2 days. A distance of 645 kilometers. All muddy
tracks and asphalt defaced by rainfall. All 3 know they will suffer, but
they share an overriding sentiment. There’s just one objective,
drive and get there, and that’s it. Do you like this? I do, because I’m free. Totally free. In recent months, Youssef and the
logging trucks have been overworked. A non-stop series of return trips. The fault lies in the poor
condition of Gabon’s railways. As a result of poor upkeep,
trains only run infrequently. Hundreds of logs are stuck in the wagons. This bridge provides a few
scares to the younger drivers. It was not designed for logging trucks. Ah, this is a test of a good driver. The width is challenging, it’s very narrow. It’s a tight fit. The authorities try to keep
this main route in good condition. But it’s the rainy season
and the track is waterlogged. Here it’s difficult. It’s just a sea of mud. Is it slippery? Well, more a matter of
getting sucked in and stuck. You have to sort of force your way through. On the descent, the
brakes are tested to the limit. Youssef takes risks, but he refuses to think about it. He makes
the equivalent of 1,500 euros a month. 6 times more than a teacher. His only regret is seeing his wife
and his 5 children only 2 days a week. Is your wife worried? No, she is worried,
which is why I call her all the time, to reassure
her that I’m still alive. She doesn’t like me doing this anymore. She wants me to stop. Because that she doesn’t want it anymore. The vibrations rattle
the truck and its load. With every bump the logs move
about, despite the safety straps. Youssef is doing okay, but the truck
at the back has a serious problem. One of its trunks has shifted. There’s a problem with one of the
trunks here. It’s slipped backwards. Replacing this 3 ton block of wood
without a crane would seem impossible. But with a little imagination
and help from a cliff, it’s done. That one’s good. Yep, that one’s good. But look, there’s another one here. Oh, we can put that back. You imagine if it lands on a hut. Or on a human being. An human being is from
now on will be a rare sight. The village marks an invisible boundary
with the most hostile part of the road. Youssef’s convoy enters
the dreaded forest of bees. A 2,500 square kilometer no man’s land. Better not break down. Best not. We must pray a lot so
that it does not happen. Because now, it’s hot in the cabin and
outside there are flies and mosquitoes and there’s
no phone network here. Is there ? None. Just your fellow truckers. Legend has it that the forest is cursed. A
refuge for evil spirits who are said to cause accidents and breakdowns and to torture
the unfortunate drivers for days at a time. Like this one. He came to tow a truck in difficulties. When about to leave, his
truck bizarrely gave up the ghost. It’s the bad state of the
roads. It’s ruined my clutch. At first, it’s not noticeable. But gradually it gets louder and louder. A buzzing noise fills the air. It’s made by the thousands
of flies and bees in the forest. The permanent noise and the
constant attacks drive the truckers crazy. Even the dog doesn’t know where to hide. I’m starting to get used to it. But the bees, I couldn’t stand them at first. I can’t stand them. Jean-pierre has been
stuck in this hell for 3 days. No it’s no fun let me tell you. As chance would have it
despite very few people who live in the forest of bees fate has
made him stop in front of a house. It belongs to a man
to be feared a sorcerer. His music seems to calm the insects. The sorcerer has agreed to put
Jean-Pierre up until help arrives. This is where I live. And that’s the living room. There are some strange
statuettes in the middle of the house. They are there in part
to treat the young man. His family believes an evil
spirit has made him a simpleton. In exchange for his
care the youngster helps with the household chores
and prepares the meals. That’s porcupine.  Is that what you’re going to eat today? Yeah. The bees seem nervous. Don’t they? They’re not cross and what’s
that uh what’s that liquid there And what’s that liquid there? It’s water. Are those bees in there? Yes. And this is quite hard, actually.  Is it something to eat? Yes. Does it need soaking in water? Yeah. Really? The thousands of bees swarming
around him doesn’t seem to concern Curtis. He says he’s in communion with them. You don’t get stung? No. As mobile phones don’t
work out here, Jean-Pierre has asked a passing
driver to call a tow truck. In the meanwhile, he pays for his
room by doing odd jobs for the sorcerer. His ordeal should be over soon. Well, quite soon. Here’s the rescue team. Come on. Okay. Their truck looks in very bad shape
but as long as the wheels still turn. In Africa we throw nothing away.
If a part breaks we keep it anyway. Are the counters working? Oh yes they’re working. They’re fine There’s 770,000 kilometers on the clock. But the engine seems to be holding up. 75 kilometers to go. How long will that take? Oh about 1 and 3 quarter hours. Maybe, maybe not. In terms of travelling wrecks, there’s always one worse
off somewhere in Gabon. Wow, that’s really badly loaded. That’s why he’s driving like that. He’s overloaded it. You mean it’s too heavy? Yeah, it’s too heavy. On this track, overtaking
is often a risky maneuver. Did you see that? That’s really
dangerous a hole like that. If you’re going fast on a turn or something you know
what will happen. You’ll crash into it ! Wow ! That’s no fun. What’s the quagmire? What? I’m going through? Well, there’s no room for maneuver anyway. If it slides, I’ll end up down the ravine. With heavy overnight rain,
the track turns into molasses. There’s a truck stuck up ahead there. Didier and his tow truck aren’t
quite ready to save Jean-Pierre, yes? We’ve been here a week. Be careful. The driver is going flat out. But it doesn’t end well. The motor refuses to
budge but in an effort to start up again this man
has an original solution. Give me the measuring tape. Give
it to me, give it to me. I’ll put it in. We’ll excite the motor. You’re using perfume? Yeah it’ll excite the motor. Okay. Try now. We’ll put it straight into the filter. Didier, you can go now. The engine doesn’t seem
to like cheap perfume. In the end, it’s the smell of
sweat that seems to work. Didier tries his luck. He has just enough room
to get through on the side. He’s off and he’s relaxed
and gives us a driving lesson. Now, with a 4 wheel
drive, it’s not worth accelerating. Just go slow, you see? You see? I braked, and it holds. Go on! Speed up! You need to have a good grip, my friend. Now that’s a problem. In the event Didier rethinks
his strategy, and even with his 6 wheel drive,
he has to pick up speed. Stop stop here. Stop him! I have to help the other
truck it’s a matter of solidarity whoever gets
through tows the other guy. But solidarity has its limits. Didier only helps 1 truck pass. It’s up to the others to
use their own skills now. Unlike the rest of the
country, the track through the forest of bees…
will never be paved. The region is a national
ecological reserve. Oh we’ve arrived. So it’s over then? Yep. I finished. Now, it’s up to the mechanics. Just in time as Jean-Pierre wouldn’t
have lasted one more day, the bees, the flies and the sorcerers
cooking have taken their toll. You’re not feeling well? I swear I’ve got diarrhea. I have
to go to the toilet every 5 minutes. The heat, humidity and the nets don’t
make the task any easier for the mechanics. Jean-Pierre is worried. Yes, I really need to pray to God
to make sure I can leave today. The mechanics bode ill for the sorcerer. Their noise disturbs his meditation. And tonight, he has an important ceremony. He must purge the evil spirit
that makes his patient a simpleton. He’s afraid that with all the
commotion, the gods of the forest will refuse to give him the
ingredients he needs for his concoction. You asked its permission? Oh yes. The tree agrees he can
take a piece of the bark. Out of respect, he heals the wound. The patient focuses,
but he must begin by calming the evil spirit
that is inside of him. It’s impossible to know
what the potion is made of. There’s some beer. And some claws from a flying
squirrel complete the preparation. We’re heading this way. You’re back. There’s no water on your back. If you don’t do it properly, it won’t work. According to the sorcerer,
his medicine is effective. But it’s impossible to
know when the boy will be rid of the evil spirit
that possesses him. But there’s bad news for
Jean-Pierre and his helpers. We’ll sleep here. Another day. In the open? Around all the bees? Among the flies and mosquitoes
now there’s little choice. They will take 2 days to repair the
truck all the while tormented by the flies. The road may be narrow, but
Youssef has his right foot pressed down on the accelerator,
and his left foot off the brake. His truck is a 50 ton unstoppable missile. Accidents involving
logging trucks are common. I risked my life in this truck, I know it. Do you know people who have accidents ? Yeah, yeah. I’ve seen stuff. Someone’s brain splattered everywhere. You ever seen that ? It was horrible. To minimize the risk logging
trucks are obliged to stop at nightfall. Yet Youssef doesn’t slow down. He drives so fast, this
truck lunged off to the side. Merci. Drivers are a bit upset. You shouldn’t have
been driving at this hour. Regardless of danger, Youssef’s
convoy rushes headlong into the night. Their only concession,
all 3 have reduced speed. I’m still in the forest here,
and I need to find a good place. As I can’t stop here it’s very narrow
and also dangerous for other people, I have to find somewhere suitable to park. At night speed causes havoc. The driver of this truck was very lucky. Behind the trees that are holding
up the truck is a steep ravine. The driver slowly regains consciousness. To avoid another truck,
he had had to swerve. When I tried to squeeze
through, the trailer swung round. I had to head over to the
right, and I ended up here. I heard a bang, and my leg was badly hit. Now I’ve got a problem with my kneecap. Are you getting my truck out or not? No, no, no, first we must finish this. No, no, get it out. I’ll wait. I’m not going to leave
until it’s off again. The truck’s fine. Nothing’s broken. I’m not moving until it’s upright. He is responsible for the truck. If thieves ransack it overnight
the driver will lose his job. Now what are we going to do? Do you want to die because of a truck? Where will you sleep? On the ground? This is a bad area. You can’t sleep here. The pain in his injured
leg gradually gets worse. The driver decides to abandon his vehicle. He’ll spend the night in a clinic. And he’s had a bit of luck. No
one will come to take his truck apart. After 10 hours of road and
200 kilometers of track, Youssef and the logging trucks
reach the village of “La Lopé”. None of the 3 want to
drive a minute longer. Okay, journey’s end. How do you feel? Knocked out. Exhausted. A prayer and then sleep. That’s all I need. And to use my telephone of course. to call his wife and his
children especially that. End of the game! Does your back ache? I don’t know. This is just a habit. I don’t miss it. I’m going to see my former colleagues. Youssef dreams of mama
tantine’s delicious food. Oh, this is a required stop for
all truckers to quench their thirst. He’s come to eat and drink.
Others come for a little tenderness. I’m looking for somewhere to lie down. Well, we’ll make the
best of whatever there is. There are places for a
short time, but no rooms. The place is a victim of its own success. Is there anything to eat? No, it’s all finished. Youssef has to settle for a soda. It might have got a meal feed reserved
what are known here as the sisters-in-law. Oh yeah, I had a meal. So you were lucky. Yes, luck was with me. I’m with my sister-in-law. She got me the food. To make matters worse the next
day promises to be difficult. The forecast calls for heavy rain
and the night is likely to be hectic. It’s hard. There’s noise from
the musicians and the radio. The musical cacophony almost never stops. Adding to the noise is a strange
cry from the end of the street. As if being summoned
hundreds converge towards it. Tonight there are almost 2,000
people who have come to listen to Math in one of the evangelical churches
that are popping up all over Africa. The show features some
very convincing priests. In the heart of the forest,
God’s enemy is the sorcerer. I say tonight witchcraft must end. The witch must die. I will make
sure fire will destroy the witchcraft. Fire! Fire! Fire! The crowd is galvanized
by the priest’s litany, and the flock gradually goes into a trance. Some are in spasms. The priests say it’s a good sign. Because the black magic
will leave their bodies. With maybe just a little more help, Fernand Jodé claims to be a prophet. Tonight, he’s challenging the water demon
that has taken possession of this woman. Spirit of water, be gone! You live in the waters, so go! You’ll leave! You’ll leave!
I prophesize! I kill fires! Leave! Go! Go, spirit! Quick, mama! Follow
this finger that’s tapping! Fernand Yodé has
another gift, that of liberating money from
his followers’ pockets. Because poverty will turn into
wealth, and a blessing on you. Within minutes, the
self-proclaimed ” the Prophet” gathers the equivalent of 3,000
euros, a small fortune in Gabon. It takes 6 months for this
ardent devotee to earn the same amount of money
by risking his life every day. But a banknote against
a little divine help is far from being a waste,
according to Christian. There could be an accident but if the divine
spirit is with us if the spirit comes and prevents all that, then everything will work
out without any trouble so I have peace of mind. Christian is a sailor but today
he’s wearing a different hat. He assembles and pulls together
huge rafts with okume wood. It’s hard work and makes
the truckers look like shirkers. You have to be fit. If
you’re fit, then you can do this sort of thing. But if
you’re not, it’s impossible. But sweat doesn’t pay
much. Only 700 euros a month. About half what a trucker
gets, and for twice the risk. The men have no protection. Apart maybe from their agility. By force of circumstance,
Arsène the convoy driver of the train, has become
a tightrope walker. At first it was hard, but
with time I got used to it. Were you falling off at the beginning? Oh yes, but I learnt how
to balance on the wood. The lives of his sailors
are precariously balanced. Arsène has been
conveying wood for 10 years. The company he works
for puts him and the other sailors up in a village
where the comfort is basic. I live here with my wife and my
children, my family. Everyone’s here. Can we come in with you? Okay, no problem. Hello, madam. Hello. Just a few square meters
even for a large family. How many kids do you have? I have 5 children. And it’s just your salary
that takes care of everyone? Yes my salary feeds the whole family. You’re not worried when he’s on the water? Well of course she is. She
can’t help being worried. The roar of the engines
can be heard from 6 a.m. Eugène, the captain, Christian, the passionate believer, and Arsène will take this load of
wood to Port Gentil through Lambarané, a passage feared by all rivermen. 300 kilometers along the
banks of the river Ogowe. Arsène, tie up the middle
one like that. Oh, all together. Take the cable there. That one’s
the one we need for it to come up. The load is worth 350,000 euros. They lose a trunk,
they’ll have to pay for it. It’s the calm before the storm. This is the day’s special,
pork cutlets and spaghetti. Excellent! During the rainy season
the Ogowe is unpredictable. Its flow increases and the 350 horsepower
tug struggles against the current. It’s tremendously powerful and moves
at the same rate as a mountain river. There’ll soon be no time to relax. There’s a sandbar on the horizon. To get around, they’ll have to
reduce the length of the tow rope. With a shorter length, the raft
becomes more manageable. It’s to reduce the wake. Hold on. Hold on. Eugène has carried out this
maneuver many times before, but this time the current
pushes the raft towards the shore. The trunks catch on the riverbed, and the ropes may not hold. The raft might come apart. One trunk has broken free. Eugène leaves his load to give chase. There’s the cable, pull it. The log was found by a
fisherman who would have gladly kept it as okoume
wood makes a perfect canoe. Stress increases. The raft is now stuck
fast against the riverbank. It weighs almost 700 tons, and a part of it is firmly wedged. Pull, pull, pull! The pressure is huge.
If the driver accelerates too hard, everything
will come undone. And it will take the 3 men
hours to reconstruct the raft. Lost hours, deducted from their wages. We almost broke up. If the front part of
the raft hits the bank it will turn and the pressure
will make it break up. Everything almost came apart then? Yes, we nearly smashed it
all up. We had to free up the front of the raft very quickly.
I could see you were worried. Well, now it’s all right. But the incident caused some damage. As the journey progresses
the sense of the forest are overwhelmed by the smell of
gasoline and the engine loses power. In the engine room there’s
a nasty surprise for Christian. Some of the fuel supply joints have broken
off when they push the engine to the limit. It’s an operation that needs to
be carried out every half hour. The problem couldn’t have
happened at a worse time. Damn it! The bridge at Lambaréné is within sight. Crossing it takes a lot of composure. Guards supervise its passage. If a raft damages a pillar,
the crew will have to pay a fine. And if the damage is
serious, the captain faces jail. No sailor can spend
10 years without hitting it sooner or later.
It’s bound to happen. You might have a mechanical
problem 100 meters from the bridge. If that happens,
then everyone will panic. Eugène doesn’t want to risk it. He’s called for 2 tugs. For a few 100 euros, they’ll help guide his cargo through. Arsène! Look at where the raft is heading.
And don’t do anything stupid. 2 of his men will direct the operation. He has some reservations
about their reliability. Jean! Your eyes aren’t too
red. It’s okay, I trust you. Does that mean they
were partying last night? Yes, it’s the end of the month,
so if they didn’t get trashed, that’s reassuring. The 2 escorts prevent the
current playing with the raft. The back, mind the back! The convoy squeaks through. The hardest thing is
to get past the bridge. We did it and it went well. The rest is mechanics, so we’ll see. Eugène and his crew end their journey for
now as they wait for spare parts to arrive. They will take one week to get to them. For their part Youssef and the logging
trucks can finally enjoy some paved roads. They make the most of it as only 10
percent of the roads are surfaced in Gabon. I have to put my foot down,
we’re playing with time now. As always the problem is
overtaking. Drivers have so little opportunity of taking such smooth
roads they don’t like being passed. If they’re going faster
than you, you let them go overtake. You put your
foot on the brake a bit. They go ahead of you and
then you can accelerate as well. There’s no point doing
what he’s doing really. It gets dark by 7 p.m.
as in the forest and the 3 trucks will no longer be
allowed to be on the road. Youssef’s boss wants an update. Yeah, it might be tight. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Is he worried? A little. He needs the wood. It’s 50 kilometers
to Libreville. The truckers speed up,
regardless of the danger. The road turns into a
torrent, and it’s impossible to spot the huge potholes
hidden underwater. Damn. Why don’t you park
when it’s bucketing down? No, I can still see 10 meters ahead. Finally, the trucks enter
the outskirts of the capital. Youssef and his team have driven
for almost 2 days without sleep. Yet, they’ll hit the road again tomorrow
morning, with the same enthusiasm. After my wife and my
children, this is my life. My life is the truck. Recently, the wood industry in
Gabon has recognized the need to preserve the world’s second
largest forest after the Amazon. They have promised to replant
every tree that’s chopped down. 3 million trees each year.

In the heart of Gabon, truckers cross an impenetrable forest to transport valuable timber. On muddy, remote tracks, a breakdown turns into a nightmare, especially in the infamous Forest of Bees, where swarms attack and no help exists. Every journey becomes a dangerous fight for survival in complete isolation.