Wed Jul 18, 2012, 06:50 PM

24 killed as former Washington ferry capsizes in Tanzania (update, 63 dead, 80 missing)

Last edited Thu Jul 19, 2012, 07:05 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Source: Seattle Times

ARUSHA, Tanzania — A Zanzibar official says 24 people were killed in a ferry accident off the coast of Tanzania's island region of Zanzibar.

Dozens are missing, and 145 people have been rescued.

The BBC reports the boat is the MV Skagit, a former Washington state passenger-only ferry, which was sold, relocated to Tanzania and renamed the MV Karama Star Gate.

Mwinyihaji Makame, a deputy minister in the office of the president, said Wednesday it remained unclear how many passengers were on board, but the BBC reported the ferry carried more than 250 people when it sank. An AP photographer reported that it carried more than 290, including more than 30 children....(more)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-18894159
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18890691

13 replies, 2108 views

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13 replies	Author	Time	Post
24 killed as former Washington ferry capsizes in Tanzania (update, 63 dead, 80 missing) (Original post)	uppityperson	Jul 2012	OP
M/V SKAGIT	PoliticAverse	Jul 2012	#1
In her WSF days	lumberjack_jeff	Jul 2012	#2
Weird, isn't it? It was a fun little ferry and now is upside down with bodies. Very sad and weird.	uppityperson	Jul 2012	#4
Gosh, I love riding those ferries.	freshwest	Jul 2012	#9
Tragic and perhaps even	cstanleytech	Jul 2012	#3
OMG.. The Skagit! Must have been overloaded or something..	progressivebydesign	Jul 2012	#5
+1	freshwest	Jul 2012	#10
but they have freedom	Enrique	Jul 2012	#13
The foot ferry!	Generic Other	Jul 2012	#6
Ferries in developing countries are routinely grossly overloaded. Multiple	LuckyLib	Jul 2012	#7
No need to read more than the heading to know what probably happened.	Beacool	Jul 2012	#8
+1	freshwest	Jul 2012	#11
UPDATE: 63 dead so far, at least 80 still missing.	uppityperson	Jul 2012	#12

Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 06:56 PM

PoliticAverse (5,535 posts)

1. M/V SKAGIT

http://www.evergreenfleet.com/monohull.html

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 06:58 PM

lumberjack_jeff (24,518 posts)

2. In her WSF days

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Response to lumberjack_jeff (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 07:30 PM

uppityperson (74,039 posts)

4. Weird, isn't it? It was a fun little ferry and now is upside down with bodies. Very sad and weird.

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Response to lumberjack_jeff (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:20 AM

freshwest (31,330 posts)

9. Gosh, I love riding those ferries.

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 07:03 PM

cstanleytech (5,292 posts)

3. Tragic and perhaps even

avoidable.

"An AP photographer reported that it carried more than 290, including more than 30 children.
Washington State Ferries documents listed its passenger capacity at 250."

If its true that they really overcrowded it that much then I hope the captain and anyone else involved in making the decision to do so is brought before a court of law for the passengers deaths.

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 07:41 PM

progressivebydesign (19,363 posts)

5. OMG.. The Skagit! Must have been overloaded or something..

Last edited Wed Jul 18, 2012, 07:43 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

those things just don't tip over like that. That's awful.

This is why I'm grateful for the "intrusive" government we have.

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Response to progressivebydesign (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:21 AM

freshwest (31,330 posts)

10. +1

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Response to progressivebydesign (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 07:11 PM

Enrique (22,598 posts)

13. but they have freedom

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 08:31 PM

Generic Other (20,296 posts)

6. The foot ferry!

Wow! Wow!

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 10:01 PM

LuckyLib (3,262 posts)

7. Ferries in developing countries are routinely grossly overloaded. Multiple

times capacity for years before one goes over. No "gubmint" in their lives, sadly.

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 12:27 AM

Beacool (19,018 posts)

8. No need to read more than the heading to know what probably happened.

It's always the same story, the ferry was over its capacity. It seems to be a fairly common incident in developing countries. Greed and poor regulations allow the owners to over crowd them.

May they rest in peace.

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Response to Beacool (Reply #8)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 01:21 AM

freshwest (31,330 posts)

11. +1

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Response to uppityperson (Original post)

Thu Jul 19, 2012, 07:06 PM

uppityperson (74,039 posts)

12. UPDATE: 63 dead so far, at least 80 still missing.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018713753_skagit19m.html

Toll from Vashon ferry sinking in Tanzania could approach 150
A former Washington state passenger-only ferry has capsized in high winds between Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Stormy conditions hampered rescue efforts Thursday for a capsized former Washington state ferry off Tanzania's coast, as officials said the death toll had risen to at least 31.

The BBC reported the toll as at least 63, with hopes fading for at least 80 people missing a day after the MV Skagit capsized.

"Search operations continue, but it is now almost impossible survivors will be found," Zanzibar police spokesman Mohamed Mhina said. "The weather was very bad, there were big waves and strong wind."

The Red Cross said at least 146 people were rescued.

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