By
Cherie Rowlands |
The Tanzanian passenger ferry MV Skagit capsized leaving dozens dead and missing after encountering strong winds near the island of Zanzibar, on 18 July.
The vessel was carrying 290 passengers and crew with latest reports from the BBC stating that 34 bodies have been recovered, 100 people remain missing and 150 have been rescued.
According to the BBC, the navy said the ferry had got ‘into difficulty due to strong winds’ while a later report by the broadcaster stated that: ‘Hamza Kabelwa, director of the Tanzania Meteorological Agency, told the BBC's Swahili service that a warning had been issued for vessels not to make the crossing because of the rough seas.’
Formerly owned by Washington State Ferries (WSF), MV Skagit had departed Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, earlier in the day and was heading on a two-hour journey to Zanzibar when the tragedy occurred.
Survivors believed passengers may have become trapped inside the ferry when it capsized, while others said they had not been shown how to use the life jackets, the BBC reported. A naval search operation is continuing after earlier rescue efforts were abandoned due to rough seas.
An American-built vessel operated by WSF in the United States between Seattle and Vashon Island until 2009, MV Skagit was licensed for 250 passengers.