Zanzibar ferry disaster: Scores die, many more missing

[tawadi]

Source: bbc.com

Zanzibar ferry disaster: Scores die, many more missing

10 September 2011 Last updated at 10:30 ET

At least 163 people have died after an overloaded ferry sank off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar with at least 600 people on board.

The MV Spice Islander was travelling between Zanzibar's main island, Unguja, and Pemba, the archipelago's other main island - popular tourist destinations.

Rescue efforts were hampered by the fact that the overloaded boat had capsized at night.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14864400

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There are more images at http://storyful.com/stories/1000007737. Warning: graphic.

[Turbineguy]

1. Terrible

It looks like a converted WWII vintage landing craft.

Repubs say: "We could have those sinkings too if it weren't for all those pesky job killing regulations!"

[tawadi]

2. Think, from what I read, they overloaded it with cargo, as well. eom

[wordpix]

9. exactly my thought about the regulations and R's

[FLPanhandle]

3. Overloaded ferry sinks...

Seems like the same thing happens over and over and over again around the world.

You'd think someone would catch on. If I'm the captain of a ferry boat, I wouldn't leave the dock overloaded again.

[tawadi]

4. It does happen too often

During religious holidays, it seems.

[Honeycombe8]

5. I have never heard of Zanzibar before, except as a "Road to Zanzibar" movie...

with Bob Hope & Bing Crosby. I didn't think there really was a place called Zanzibar.

I'll have to look it up on a map.

[tawadi]

6. Yes. There is even a website.

http://zanzibar.net :-)

[Glimmer of Hope]

7. A lot of tourist go there for a beach break after climbing Kilimanjaro or safaris.

Too much dying in that part of the world lately.

[tawadi]

8. A link to an update

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44465501/ns/world_news-africa/t/zanzibar-ferry-survivor-my-son-was-pulled-my-grip/#.Tmwm_0-OIy4