A ferry with more than 280 people on board, including some foreigners, sank off the east African coast of the Zanzibar archipelago yesterday, killing at least 31 people, police said.
The ferry, MV Skagit/Kalama, set sail from the mainland Tanzania at about midday heading to Zanzibar, Tanzania’s semi-autonomous archipelago and a popular tourist destination.
Rescue boats and divers were searching for survivors on the mostly submerged vessel. “So far, 15 bodies have been recovered,” said Mwinyihaji Makame, a state minister. Government spokesman Yusuf Chunda added: “One foreigner, a woman is among the dead. Thirteen other foreigners were rescued and are in hospital.”
It was not clear how many other foreigners had been on board. Zanzibar police spokesman Mohammed Mhina said many passengers were missing. – (Reuters)