Dodoma: Tanzanian President John Magufuli has ordered arrest of boat operators of the ill-fated ‘MV Nyerere’ as the death toll in Thursday’s ferry accident rose to 127.
A three-day mourning was declared by Magufali starting from Saturday, CNN quoted Tanzanian local media as saying.
The country’s Transport minister Isack Kamwele said a total of 80 survivors were rescued on Thursday and Friday. The rescue operations to search for others is still on.
The ferry had overturned between the two islands in Lake Victoria, which is the largest lake in Africa, passing through Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
According to local media, the exact number of those on board was not known as the boat was believed to be carrying people beyond the stipulated capacity. The ferry was believed to be carrying between 400 to 500 people.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]