TANZANIA: At least 132 people are now feared to have died following the sinking of the ferry Mutambala on Lake Tanganyika. On Monday, the Waterways Authority (RVF) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stated that 129 bodies had been recovered, but others may still be trapped in the sunken vessel. The ferry got into difficulties when it encountered a gale six hours after leaving the port of Moba, heading northwards towards Kalemie, on the DRC (western) side of the lake, which is also bordered by Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia. According to an unnamed survivor quoted by the newspaper LObservateur, the vessel was buffeted by high winds, causing it to pitch and take on water. The captain is said to have telephoned the port of Kalundu, but the ship sank near the village of Tembwe. Katanga region transport minister Laurent Kahozi Sumba said in a statement that 232 passengers and crew had been rescued. Rescue and recovery efforts were still in progress yesterday. Sumba told the AFP news agency that Mutambala capsized because it was overloaded, while the RVF said that the age of the ferry was also a factor. The numbers of survivors and bodies indicate that the vessel was carrying at least 350 people, whereas Digital Congo alleged that its manifest showed only 130 passengers. DRCs transport ministry last year banned the use of old vessels on the countrys lakes and waterways, but because of a lack of alternative methods of transport many are still sailing, LObservateur noted. The country has a poor ferry safety record, and overcrowding is common on the poorly maintained vessels, which often lack sufficient lifejackets. On 22 March, a heavily overloaded boat carrying refugees returning from Uganda to DRC sank with the loss of about 210 lives on Lake Albert. On Sunday, Martin Kobler, head of the UN Mission to DRC (Monusco) said that the agency was ready to help the DRC authorities with the Mutambala rescue mission, including use of its helicopters. Kobler said: I am profoundly saddened by the tragedy. My thoughts go out to the missing and their families.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 03:06:38 +0000