Death Toll Of Tanzanian Ferry Accident Rises To 218: Reports

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published September 23, 2018 | 03:31 PM

DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 23 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Sep, 2018 ) :The death toll from the ferry that capsized in Lake Victoria has risen to 218 and may further grow, state media said late on Saturday.

Minister for Works, Transport and Communications Isack Kamwelwe said more bodies could be recovered as rescue and recovery operations continued.

"Relatives have started identifying bodies of their loved ones," Kamwelwe told a news conference at Ukara Islet, the scene of the grisly marine accident.

He said a ship carrying equipment to be used to pull the ferry out of the lake was on its way from Mwanza, a northwestern port city.

"We are expecting the vessel anytime and work to pull out the ferry will start right away," said the minister.

On Friday, Tanzanian President Magufuli announced a four-day mourning period for the victims of the accident.

According to sources, the ferry, with a capacity of 101 passengers and 25 tonnes of cargo, capsized at around 1 p.m. local time (1000 GMT) Thursday.

Preliminary investigations showed that the state-owned ferry was overloaded and was being manned by someone who was not the authorized captain of the vessel.

The last major ferry accident on Lake Victoria occurred in 1996 in the same region, killing at least 500 people.