Tanzania Ferry Disaster

Reported as Tanzania Ferry Disaster Kills Hundreds:

An overloaded ferry sank off the coast of Tanzania, and officials said Saturday the death toll was approaching 200.

Emergency responders had rescued more than 600 survivors after the MV Spice Islander capsized overnight while traveling between Zanzibar’s main island Unguja, and Pemba, the archipelago’s other main island.

The Italian news agency Agenzia Giornalistica Italia reported Zito Zuberi Kabwe, a member of the Tanzanian Parliament, said the death toll had reached 198 and Time magazine reported Tanzanian police had placed the total number of bodies recovered at 192.

AGI said there were more than 800 people on board — more than 200 above the vessel’s passenger limit.

More recent suggestions that instead of 800 people on the ferry, there were 1000. See here:

A senior Zanzibar official said on Monday that the death toll from Tanzania's ferry disaster could rise significantly.

The announcement comes after it emerged there were more than 1,000 passengers aboard the vessel when it capsized last week,

Initial reports suggested the MV Spice Islander was carrying 800 people, well above the ferry's 600 passenger capacity.

[Seif Ali Iddi, Zanzibar's Second Vice-president]:

"We were told that the total number of people who were in the boat were a little bit over 1,000 so we are expecting some more bodies between now and maybe tomorrow or day after."

More than 600 passengers were rescued from the ferry.