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Iraq ferry sinking: 'Nearly 100 dead' in Tigris river | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Almost 100 people are reported to have died after a ferry sank in the Tigris river in Iraq's city of Mosul. | |
Most of the victims were women and children, the interior ministry said. It is thought nearly 200 people were on board. | |
The ferry was heading towards a tourist island as part of new year celebrations. | |
Mosul's civil defence agency reportedly said most on board could not swim. | |
At least 19 children and 61 women were among the 94 people said to have died, and 55 people were rescued. | |
What happened? | |
The vessel was on its way to Umm Rabaen island, a tourist area about 4km (2.5 miles) upstream and north of the city centre. People across the region are celebrating Nowruz, the new year festival. | |
Footage shows the ferry tilting sharply to the right and taking on water, before flipping over entirely and being dragged swiftly downstream by the fast-flowing river. | |
Images on social media showed the upturned vessel and people floating in the current. | |
"It was carrying too many passengers, so the water began to rush onboard and the ferry became heavier and overturned," one passenger told AFP news agency. "With my own eyes I saw dead children in the water." | |
Ambulances and helicopters arrived to help survivors and search for the bodies of those who died. | |
Authorities had reportedly warned people about rising water levels as the gates of the Mosul dam had been opened, and some are accusing the ship operator of ignoring the advice. | |
What's been the reaction? | |
Iraq's justice ministry reportedly ordered the arrest of nine ferry company workers, and barred the ship's owners and the owners of the tourist site from leaving Iraq. | |
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi meanwhile has ordered an investigation "to determine responsibilities". | |
In a statement Mr Mahdi said he was following the story "with pain and sadness", and had ordered "all state efforts" to find survivors and treat victims. | In a statement Mr Mahdi said he was following the story "with pain and sadness", and had ordered "all state efforts" to find survivors and treat victims. |
The prime minister later toured a hospital and a morgue in the city, and declared three days of national mourning. | The prime minister later toured a hospital and a morgue in the city, and declared three days of national mourning. |
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the special representative for Iraq of the United Nations secretary general, said it was a "terrible tragedy". | Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the special representative for Iraq of the United Nations secretary general, said it was a "terrible tragedy". |
"Our hearts go out to the families and relatives of the victims," she said in a statement. | "Our hearts go out to the families and relatives of the victims," she said in a statement. |
However, local information account Mosul Eye reports that security forces are trying to arrest journalists reporting on the ferry sinking. | However, local information account Mosul Eye reports that security forces are trying to arrest journalists reporting on the ferry sinking. |
What's Mosul's recent history? | |
Mosul lies 400 km (250 miles) north of Iraq's capital Baghdad on the river Tigris, and is home to up to 2 million people. | |
The city was captured by the Islamic State group in June 2014 and became its de-facto capital. | |
It was not liberated until July 2017 after a nine-month battle that left large parts of the city in ruins. | It was not liberated until July 2017 after a nine-month battle that left large parts of the city in ruins. |