SHIP CASUALTY: 224 BODIES NOW RECOVERED

September 24, 2018

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Tanzanian government confirmed increase in the number of bodies found in the boat mishap in Lake Victoria on Thursday has now reached the total number of 22.
Isack Kamwele,Transport, Communication and Works minister, made the announcement during the burial of nine of the victims of the MV Nyerere disaster.
He gave the analysis of the dead, so far, as 126 adult females, 71 adult males, 17 young females and 10 young males.
Mr Kamwele added that the earlier report, showed that 265 passengers were on board the hapless mv Nyerere, against the capability of 101.
“We thank Ukara Island residents for recuing 40 people immediately after the accident,” he said.
A total of 219 bodies have already been identified and 214 of them collected by family members.
“The government has taken DNA samples of unidentified bodies to enable identification once their relatives resurface,” Disaster Management minister Jinesta Mhagama, said.
Mr Kamwelwe disclosed that a total of $82,000 (TSh190m) had been donated by well-wishers to support the rescue mission.
MV Nyerere was made in 2004 in the country and started operation immediately. It had two major maintenances; in 2013 and 2015.
In June 2018, the two engines and the gear box were changed.