Tanzania Ferry Sinking: Boat Overturns In Lake Victoria, Several Dead, Many Missing

Update: 7:20 a.m. EDT — The death toll from the Tanzanian ferry capsizing in Lake Victoria reached 100, the country’s state radio TBC Taifa reported Friday. Hundreds were still missing as rescuers searched for survivors of the disaster.

Residents from Mwanza, a city in Tanzania home to many of the people aboard the ferry, said they were anxiously waiting to hear about the fate of their relatives who were on board the ferry when it sank.

"I received a call telling me that I have lost my aunt, father and my younger brother," Editha Josephat Magesa, a local resident, told BBC. "We are really saddened and urge the government to provide a new ferry because the old one was small and the population is big.”

The engines of the ferry were recently replaced with new ones after Joseph Mkundi, a local minister, complained about the older ones getting faulty.

Original story:

At least 86 people were confirmed dead when a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria on Friday, Tanzanian newspaper the Citizen reported, citing figures from John Mongella, governor of Mwanza, a city home to many of those onboard the ferry, Reuters reported. Another 100 people were rescued following the incident, according to BBC, of which 37 remained in “very bad condition.” Hundreds more were missing.

“There were more than a hundred passengers on board when the ferry sank, it is feared that a significant number have lost their lives,” said George Nyamaha, head of Ukerewe district council. The ferry sank near Ukara Island, which is part of Ukerewe district.

Although the ferry's official capacity was 100 people, it was reportedly carrying over 400 passengers when it sank. Authorities said it would be difficult to get an official number of passengers riding the vessel at the time of is capsizing since the person who dispensed tickets for the journey also died. It was reported the machine recording the data was lost.

Officials feared more than 200 people might have drowned in the incident. "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,” he added.

The ferry overturned near the shore between the islands of Ukara and Bugolora. It is believed that when the ferry docked, the crowd from one side of the ferry moved to the other side, causing it to lose balance and sink.