Survivors have blamed the crews for the deadly ferry accident off Tanzanian coast, which has led to 68 confirmed deaths and missing of scores more presumably drown.
Hanzil Manoni, one of the survivors, told Xinhua on Friday that the MV Skagit left Dar es Salam port midday on Wednesday without any problem, but after thirty minutes the vessel “started to lose control.”
He said after two hours of their departure, as the speed of the boat increased against strong wind, high waves pounded the vessel causing instability, but the Captain informed them there was no problem and the boat would proceed to Zanzibar.
“Unfortunately shortly after the Captain’s statement, the vessel wobbled three times and capsized leaving us to struggle for our lives,” He recounted the defining moment of life and death.
“We were floating around the capsized boat while many people remained stuck inside the boat,” he said, adding that he along with a few others in the cabin only came out through a window smashed by a foreign tourist.
Ramadhan Khamis, another survivor, also blamed crews and the captain for lying that the vessel was okay and that they would arrive in Zanzibar.
“A Parcel of banana saved me as many people struggle for life. I gripped the parcel for four hours before being rescued,” He said.
Zanzibar Police Commissioner Mussa Ali Mussa said that police were still hunting for the owner and captain of the boat, adding that they only managed to get two sailors who are being interrogated.
Acting minister responsible for disasters management Ali Juma Shamuhuna, said 68 people have been confirmed dead in the accident. “We ask people and grieving families to be patient as search for body continue,” he said.
Meanwhile, divers at the scene have failed to locate the sunken boat, which they believe could now be in the deeper sea as authorities planned to call off the search operation by the end of Friday.
Reports also indicated that the rescue was hampered from the beginning due to lack of gear and fuel and different port departments traded accusations each other for foul play in the process.
— Xinhua
