By Edward Qorro
The Citizen reporter
Hardly had the vessel left for Pemba from Unguja port than some seamen doubted whether it would reach its destination.And their predictions were right, for the Pemba-bound vessel christened Spice Islander capsised in Nungwi area, a few kilometers from Pemba town.Eye witnesses at the Unguja port said the boat had been over loaded with passengers and luggage causing it to bend on one side.

Mr Hemedi Salumu, a seaman at Unguja told The Citizen on Sunday that he had doubted whether it would make it for Pemba with the number of passengers on board.“It has a capacity of 600 passengers, but had more than 1,000   people on board when it left Unguja town,” said the seaman.

Mr Salumu also accused officials of the Zanzibar Maritime Authority for clearing the vessel without querying about the number of passengers and weight of cargo it had.“The officials were negligent in allowing it to leave the port without ordering the reduction of the number of passengers,” he noted.

Mr Rashid Abdallah, another seaman at the Dar es Salaam port, told this paper that the vessel left on Friday with 129 passengers on board.

“The trouble must have started in Unguja, because all was well when it left here,” he said.
The seaman also attributed the cause of the tragic accident to the strong water currents at Nungwi area.
“It must have been hit strongly by the waves and, with the number of passengers on board, it could not stand the current,” he explained.

As of yesterday afternoon the death toll had reached 62, and more than 500 passengers had been rescued.
Briefing reporters yesterday, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Saidi Mwema, said the rescue operation was still going on, but would not immediately establish the cause of the accident.“We have managed to mobilise a rescue operation with choppers and rescue vessels sent to the scene,” the police boss said.

This paper witnessed a number of relatives thronging the port to check on their loved ones who had sailed with the boat.Others collapsed in agony, wailing for the loss. Mr Ally Hamisi, a Dar es Salaam resident, was restless and could be seen going around the port while talking to his phone.

“I am still not aware of the status of my seven relatives who were on board…I’m not sure if they are dead or not,” said the sad Hamisi.He told The Citizen on Sunday that his relatives had come for a wedding in Dar es Salaam.
“I’m confused, I also had a neighbor on board, but I have not heard anything about him,” he said.

According to him, one of his relatives called him at night when the vessel was about to capsize, asking him to pray for them as they were dying.“Since then, I cannot reach him on his phone, and I don’t know what has happened to him,” he said.

There was even more agony for Khamisi Abdallah who said he had ten relatives in the vessel.
 “I’m short of words…I’m schocked I have just booked a ticket to go and see for myself my relatives,” said the visibly shaken Abdallah.

Mwantumu Suleiman, a Zanzibari, told this paper that she came to Dar accompanied by her husband and sister.
She said both had decided to board the vessel as she remained in the city receiving medication for her aching stomach.“I don’t even know if they are alive by now. I leave everything to God,” the dejected woman  said as tears ran down her cheeks.

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