Death toll in Kigoma boat tragedy rises to 10
The death toll from Lake Tanganyika accident in which 70 people, including a newly-wed couple, were rescued has increased to ten people.
The accident that occured at Kigoma Region’s Kalalanga village was reportedly contributed by laxity, according to Kigoma Regional Police Commander (RPC) Jaffar Mohamed and Kigoma Regional Commissioner Issa Machibya.
Briefing reporters, the RPC said as of Monday morning, 10 bodies had been rescued by soldiers from the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF).
He named the deceased as Masoud Ally (30), Rehema Kassim (17), Fitina Issa (40), Hawa Lwampata (75), Jacob Rashid (1), Mahmoud Ulimwengu (6) and Hawa Gamba (8).
Mr Mohamed said the rescue effort by the TPDF men was still in progress, however expressing fear of retrieving more bodies as there are no proper records of the number of people who were in the ill-fated boat.
The RC on his part consoled the bereaved families and wished good health and quick recovery for the survivors. He urged Kigoma residents to take precaution when boarding lake going vessels, attributing the mishap and eventual deaths to overloading.
Mr Machibya directed the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) to regulate marine transport in the lake, partly blaming the accident on the laxity in SUMATRA regulatory services.
During the accident that occurred over the weekend, 27 people were rescued, including the groom, Shaaban Hussein, and his bride, Mariam Juma (18), all residents of Mtanga village who had just wed at Kiglye village, the groom’s home.
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