Zanzibar Ferry Disaster: Hopes Fade for 100 Still Missing

July 19, 2012 from NTV Uganda

Hopes are fading for more than 100 people still missing after a Tanzanian ferry sank near Zanzibar's main island. At least 38 people are known to have died in the disaster and about 145 have been rescued. The boat had left the city of Dar-es-Salaam on mainland Tanzania on Wednesday with 290 people on board.

(more) (less)

In This Video

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja, and Pemba. The capital of Zanzibar... Explore this topic

MV Skagit

MV Skagit was a Skagit/Kalama Class passenger ferry originally operated by Washington State Ferries from 1989–2009 and then in Tanzania until her disastrous sinking in July 2012. The Skagit and the MV Kalama were the only two ships of their class in the WSF fleet. Together the... Explore this topic

Ferry

A ferry is a boat or ship used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, is sometimes called a water bus or ... Explore this topic

Tanzania

Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west; and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern bor... Explore this topic

Maritime disaster

A maritime disaster is an event which usually involves a ship or ships and can involve military action. Due to the nature of maritime travel, there is often a large loss of life. The sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912 with 1,523 fatalities, is probably the most famous shipwreck bu... Explore this topic

Capsizing

Capsizing is when a boat or ship is turned on its side or overturned. The act of reversing a capsized vessel is called righting. If a capsized vessel has enough flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on its own if the stability is such that it is not stable inverted. Ves... Explore this topic

Ali Mohamed Shein

Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein is the 7th President of Zanzibar, in office since 2010. He was previously Vice President of Tanzania from 2001 to 2010. Shein is originally from the island of Pemba, and he is a member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party. He is a medical doctor by pro... Explore this topic

Dar es Salaam

The City of Dar es Salaam, formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. The city of Dar es Salaam is located within the Dar es Salaam Region, an administrative province within Tanzania, and... Explore this topic

Search and rescue

Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search is conducted over. These include mountai... Explore this topic

Lifejacket

A personal flotation device is a device designed to assist a wearer, either conscious or unconscious, to keep afloat. Devices designed and approved by authorities for use by civilians differ from those designed for use by passengers and crew of aircraft and of commercial vesse... Explore this topic

Also See

Zanzibar

MV Skagit

Ferry

Watch Next

2:06

Search Continues After Hong Kong Ferry Collision Kills 38

Al Jazeera English | Oct 2

Thirty-eight people have died in Hong Kong's worst maritime disaster in decades on the anniversary of China's national Day. Six crew members have b...