Posted on 09/20/2018 11:52:47 AM PDT by Simon Green
Hundreds of people are feared missing after a ferry capsized on Lake Victoria in north Tanzania.
A local official told the BBC five people have died and 102 have been rescued, but another said that the vessel was overloaded with more than 400 people on board.
The MV Nyerere ferry overturned near the shore between the islands of Ukora and Bugolora.
Locals have joined with emergency teams in rescue efforts.
The Tanzanian government has confirmed the ferry capsized but exact figures for those on board are yet to be confirmed.
"We pray to God to give us hope in such an accident," Regional Commissioner Adam Malima told reporters.
"We pray to God to give us hope that there has not been a high death toll."
Accidents are common on Africa's largest lake, Victoria, where boats often depart overcrowded.
More than 800 people died in 1996 when the MV Bukoba capsized. It was one of the worst maritime disasters of the last century.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Prayers for them.
When will they enact common sense ferry control laws???
overloaded....a familiar word when
a ferry capsized
Lake Victoria has crocodiles! Not good. The Falls from Lake Victoria at the base of falls has hundreds of crocs, which is beginning of river Nile, I believe.
Lake Victoria? Isn’t that where all the Rwandan genocide bodies went? Isn’t that thing full, already?
A healthy crocodile population is imperative to Africa’s future.
The then-wife and I were passengers on a small ferry, maybe space for a dozen cars or so. However, a dump truck carrying crushed stone and towing a trailer full of logs took up the centerline, with maybe a handful of cars, if that.
As we were headed out of the harbor, the rougher-than-average waves were just barely coming over the open bow deck.
I wasn't too thrilled, but it the wave water only added to the light rain hitting the deck.
Yeah, but do they have hippos?
Commence occurrence in 3rd world countries.
Actually, I feel sorry for the poor sob’s; but on that lake if you’re swimming, you’re trolling for crocs.
Yes. The MS Estonia in 1994. Over 800 died from the ice cold waters.
its bow doors ripped open by waves, and it sank?
I remember a larger ferry with huge biw doors sinking because the doors weren’t secured properly... Stupidity..much larger, maybe 80 cars and trucks...once the cargo shifted...blup...blup...blup
Eyep that’s it
“Wasn’t there an autoferry on the Baltic that had its bow doors ripped open by waves, and it sank? “
Correct but the reason for the sinking was the doors had not been properly secured and thus the waves opened them. It was 100% human error. The vessel should not have sunk except for this human error.
Not there, but I have seen them in US Senate.
Back in the 1960’s & 1970’s my sis and bro-in-law lived in Uganda and used to snap pictures of all the big crocs & hippo’s in Lake Victoria.
[Back in the 1960’s & 1970’s my sis and bro-in-law lived in Uganda and used to snap pictures of all the big crocs & hippo’s in Lake Victoria.]
Another victim of the African Queen?
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