Burial of Tanzania ferry disaster victims starts
What you need to know:
- Chief of defence forces Venance Mabeyo told reporters that the burial of the victims would start on Sunday.
- He said there were inadequate mortuary facilities and that most of the bodies were in bad condition.
- MV Nyerere ferry capsized on Thursday afternoon a few metres before docking at the Ukara Island on Lake Victoria.
Mwanza. The burial of the victims of the MV Nyerere ferry disaster starts Sunday as the death toll reaches 218.
The chief of defence forces Venance Mabeyo on Saturday told reporters that the burial of the victims would start on Sunday due to inadequate mortuary facilities and the bad condition of most of the bodies.
“We are going to ask the government to allow us bury all those who have not yet been identified. And we also encourage relatives to bury their loved ones right here instead of transporting them far away,” General Mabeyo told reporters in Ukara Island on Saturday.
The minister for Transport, Communication and Works Isack Kamwelwe also told reporters that the death toll had reached 218 by Saturday evening.
Forty seven more bodies have been spotted and would be recovered in the ongoing recovery operation.
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About 171 bodies have already been identified and 112 already taken by relatives for burial, Mr Kamwelwe said.
The MV Nyerere ferry capsized on Thursday afternoon a few metres before docking at the Ukara Island on Lake Victoria.
