At least 163 people died yesterday when a ferry capsized off the popular tourist archipelago of Zanzibar, a minister said.
“We have recovered 163 people who have died,” said Mohammed Aboud, Zanzibar’s state minister for emergencies, dramatically updating an earlier death toll of 53.
President of the semi-autonomous archipelago Ali Mohamed Shein said rescue workers saved 579 passengers, marking a dramatic increase on previous estimates regarding the number of passengers thought to be on board.
Officials said earlier that around 600 people were believed to be on the striken ferry, including families returning home after the holidays to celebrate the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The exact number of passengers on this type of ferry is often difficult to establish as no reliable passenger lists are kept.
Some survivors have arrived back in Stone Town, the main port of the archipelago, with an emergency first aid centre set up in the port to treat those arriving by rescue speed boat from the capsized ferry.
“It was terrifying, people were screaming and shouting in the dark,” said Aisha Mohammed, aged seven.
“I can’t find my mummy, I lost her when we were all in the water,” she added, after being picked up by a rescue boat.
Other survivors angrily accused port and ferry officials of overloading the boat.
“We were shouting at the captain and at the people in the port even before we left that the boat was too full – it was packed with people and with cargo,” said Zaid Amour, a 50-year-old survivor. “This was not an accident but is the fault of those who did not stop the boat from leaving when it was clear to passengers it was not safe.”
The government pledged to do all it could to help.
“This is a national tragedy, so let us join hands together over this,” Shein said, before announcing that the archipelago would observe three days of national mourning from today.
“The government of Zanzibar will do everything it can to support the victims of this terrible event,” he added.
Zanzibar has a total population estimated at around 1.2 million.
Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete called the shipwreck “a big tragedy to Zanzibaris and all Tanzanians in general.”
State emergencies minister Aboud told AFP Zanzibar has “asked for emergency assistance from Dar es Salaam, including divers, to help in the rescue efforts.”
The MV Spice Islander, which was travelling between Unguja and Pemba – two of the three islands that make up Zanzibar, left Unguja around 9 p.m. (1800 GMT) and capsized four hours later.
“Sailors on the boat were still telling us ‘it is okay’ when we were calling for life jackets, so when things got really bad it was too late for many people,” Amour added.
The ferry was reportedly carrying a heavy cargo of rice and other goods.
“Rescue operations are being hampered by a lack of equipment,” deputy secretary of state for infrastructure and communication Issa Gavu told AFP.