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| Lake Victoria Tanzania ferry disaster: Survivor found in air pocket | Lake Victoria Tanzania ferry disaster: Survivor found in air pocket |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man has been rescued from a ferry that capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania, two days after it overturned with the loss of at least 207 lives. | |
| The engineer, named locally as Alphonce Charahani, reportedly survived in an air pocket inside the MV Nyerere ferry, which capsized near Ukara island on its way from Bugorora on Thursday. | The engineer, named locally as Alphonce Charahani, reportedly survived in an air pocket inside the MV Nyerere ferry, which capsized near Ukara island on its way from Bugorora on Thursday. |
| He is said to be in a serious condition. | He is said to be in a serious condition. |
| It is thought the ship tipped when passengers moved over to one side. | It is thought the ship tipped when passengers moved over to one side. |
| Divers resumed the search for survivors on Saturday after hearing knocking noises. | Divers resumed the search for survivors on Saturday after hearing knocking noises. |
| The engineer had locked himself in a small room inside the ship, and the divers pulled him out of the vessel. | The engineer had locked himself in a small room inside the ship, and the divers pulled him out of the vessel. |
| Bodies are still being taken out of the water, and reports on state broadcaster TBC cited the transport minister saying the death toll had risen to 207. | |
| On Friday, Tanzania's President John Magufuli said he had ordered the arrest of all those who managed the ferry, and declared four days of national mourning. | On Friday, Tanzania's President John Magufuli said he had ordered the arrest of all those who managed the ferry, and declared four days of national mourning. |
| Mr Magufuli reportedly said in a televised speech that "negligence has cost us so many lives", and said it seemed "clear that the ferry was overloaded". | Mr Magufuli reportedly said in a televised speech that "negligence has cost us so many lives", and said it seemed "clear that the ferry was overloaded". |
| "The arrests have already begun," he said. | "The arrests have already begun," he said. |
| But the main opposition party, Chadema, criticised the government's response. | But the main opposition party, Chadema, criticised the government's response. |
| "We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear," the party's deputy secretary general John Mnyika told AFP. | "We have often raised concerns about the poor condition of this ferry, but the government turned a deaf ear," the party's deputy secretary general John Mnyika told AFP. |
| "We have repeatedly denounced this negligence." | "We have repeatedly denounced this negligence." |
| How did this happen? | How did this happen? |
| Local media say the ferry's official capacity was 100 people, but officials say the vessel was carrying more than twice that number when it capsized. | Local media say the ferry's official capacity was 100 people, but officials say the vessel was carrying more than twice that number when it capsized. |
| It operates on a busy route, crossing eight times a day between the islands of Ukara and Ukwerewe, which are close to Tanzania's second-largest city of Mwanza. | It operates on a busy route, crossing eight times a day between the islands of Ukara and Ukwerewe, which are close to Tanzania's second-largest city of Mwanza. |
| The ferry was said to have been particularly busy because it was market day in Bugorora, on Ukerewe island. | The ferry was said to have been particularly busy because it was market day in Bugorora, on Ukerewe island. |
| The vessel was also carrying cargo, including bags of cement and maize, when it capsized around 50 metres from the shore. | The vessel was also carrying cargo, including bags of cement and maize, when it capsized around 50 metres from the shore. |
| It is thought that many of the passengers would not have been able to swim. | It is thought that many of the passengers would not have been able to swim. |
| An official investigation will take place once rescue efforts to find survivors have ended. | An official investigation will take place once rescue efforts to find survivors have ended. |
| Has anything like this happened before? | |
| Tanzania has seen a number of nautical disasters, with overcrowding often playing a role. | |
| In 2012, at least 145 people died when a packed ferry sank while transporting people to the island of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. | |
| The year before, almost 200 people died in another major incident off the coast of Zanzibar. Hundreds survived, some found clinging to mattresses and fridges. | |
| In 1996, more than 800 people died when the MV Bukoba capsized on Lake Victoria. It was one of the the worst ferry disasters of the last century. |