Kenyan Honeymooners Missing in Zanzibar Ferry Accident

If you have info, contact the Kenya High Commission in Dar: info@kenyahighcom.org

URGENT APPEAL:
PLEASE HELP FIND THE KIRIMIS.
Martin Kirimi and Mary Mwangi are Kenyans, newlywed and were on honeymoon in Zanzibar. They haven't been heard of since the Zanzibar ferry accident. If you have any information, please contact the email address on the poster.

The MV Skagit sank in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zanzibar on July 19, 2012.

http://swahilitime.blogspot.com/2012/07/ajali-ya-mv-skagitkalama.html

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By AGGREY MUTAMBOPosted Friday, August 3  2012

 

A Kenyan couple on honeymoon in Tanzania have gone missing since a ferry disaster in Zanzibar that killed 128 people.

Mr Martin Kirimi and his wife of three weeks, Mary Mwangi, had told relatives and friends that they would take a bus from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam and then the ferry to Zanzibar for their honeymoon.

Mr Kirimi from Nyambene in Meru County to the east, and his newly-wed wife, Mary, from Karatina in the central Nyeri County, were last heard of when they left for their 10-day honeymoon in Zanzibar.

Now relatives and friends fear the two may have been aboard the ill-fated ferry that sunk off the shores of Zanzibar two weeks ago.

Mr Kirimi, 30, was a nurse at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi while his wife was a kindergarten teacher in Westlands area of the capital city.

On Thursday, Mr Maina Kariuki, Mr Kirimi’s brother-in-law, told the Daily Nation newspaper they last talked on phone just before the couple entered Tanzania.

“We spoke around 9.21am when they were at the Namanga border. He promised to buy a mobile phone sim card while in Dar then he would call me to tell me the number they would be using while on honeymoon in Zanzibar,” said Mr Kariuki.

"They wanted to enjoy their privacy and ensure people would not disturb them. But Martin never called back. We are not sure if they arrived in the Tanzanian capital although the Dar Express bus company has told us that all passengers arrived safely at 9pm.”

The couple had planned to go to Zanzibar through Dar es Salaam by road to enjoy the scenery, use the ferry to the island and then come back by air, he said.

The Kirimis celebrated their wedding at the Seagull Hotel on Thika Road, spent two nights at another local hotel and on the evening of July 16, Mary’s sister hosted a dinner for the newlyweds at her Kasarani home in Nairobi.

“Martin and Mary were both excited,” said Mary’s sister, Priscillah Mwangi, barely able to conceal her distraught state.

That was the last time she saw her sister and her brother-in-law.

What is not clear is if the couple spent the night in Dar or proceeded to the Tanzanian archipelago.

Ajali ya MV Skagit

Wadau, yaani ajali za meli zinatokea Tanzania lakini hatuoni Improvements katika ukoaji wa maisha wa binadamu. Lini serikali ya Tanzania itathamini maisha ya watu wanaosafiri na meli?  Nadhani kwa saa Tanzania inaongoza kwa ajali ya meli na vifo vya watu baharini na maziwani! Viongozi wa Tanzania hebu acheni uchu wa kununua magari ya fahari etc.! 

Mboreshe jeshi la Navy ( Wanamaji), mboreshe hospitali zetu pia kusudi watu wasiwe na haja ya kwenda kutibiwa nje za nje!!!

Waliotengeza hiyo melihapa Marekani wanasema kuwa meli ilijengwa kwa kubea watu 230 tu! Yaani Maximum capacity ni 230.  Inakuaje ilikuwa imebeba karibu watu 400 na mizigo!!!!!

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Kutoka REUTERS:

(Reuters) - Rescue workers fought rough seas on Thursday to search for survivors after an overcrowded ferry sank near the Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar, but hopes of finding people alive were slim.


At least 68 people were confirmed dead and 145 were rescued after the MV Skagit/Kalama capsized around midday on Wednesday near Chumbe island, west of Zanzibar.

The vessel had set sail from mainland Tanzania to the semi-autonomous archipelago, a popular tourist beach destination. One U.S. citizen was among the dead.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Maisara Grounds park near Zanzibar's historic Stone Town area on Thursday to identify bodies laid out in a tent.

Tatu Kwiyela, a 35-year-old woman from mainland Tanzania, survived the accident but her nine-month-old son died.

"I was swept away by strong waves and lost my son, Saidi Jumanne. I tried to hang on to him but he disappeared into the sea," said Tatu, who managed to identify his remains.

Police said more than 10 foreign tourists, including a group of Dutch holidaymakers, were among the rescued passengers.

"One of those killed in the ferry accident is an American citizen. The body has been recovered and is being preserved at a mortuary," Zanzibar police spokesman Mohammed Mhina said.

The ferry, with a maximum carrying capacity of 250 people according to Zanzibar marine authorities, was carrying 290 people, officials said.

"Out of the 68 dead victims, 54 bodies have been identified so far by their relatives and taken for burial," Mhina said.

"We will continue with the search and rescue operation tomorrow morning, although it is becoming increasingly difficult to find any survivors now."

There were at least 145 survivors.

Rescue teams battled heavy winds and rough seas in their search effort. Divers trying to pluck more bodies from the wreckage said they were not able to reach the vessel.


"The sunken boat is below depths of 25 meters (82 ft) ... we tried to go as deep as we could but could not locate it," Ali Ramadhani, one of the divers, said.

"All we've seen today are bodies floating in the sea. I don't think we are going to find anyone alive. The sea is very rough, it is difficult for anyone to survive in such conditions."

Some of the victims' relatives said they were angry at authorities for lax safety regulations, especially after more than 200 people were killed in a ferry accident in September in Zanzibar's worst maritime disaster.

"The government has killed all these people. They must bring the owner of the boat to us," said Abdallah Sadick whose brother was among the missing passengers.

Zanzibar residents said passenger ships are notoriously overcrowded and there are few safety inspections.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete ordered an investigation into the incident and announced three days of national mourning.

Kwa habari zaidi someni:

http://news.yahoo.com/31-dead-over-100-missing-zanzibar-ferry-disaster-064550620.html

http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/zanzibar-ferry-was-seaworthy-1.1345841

Mnaweza kuona Video HAPA:




MV Skagit wakati inafanya kazi Seattle, Washington USA kabla ya kwenda Tanzania.  Hapa MArekani wansema kuwa meli hiyo ilijengwa kwa ajili ya kusafirisha watu 230 tu!!!!  Inakuaje ilikuwa na watu 400 na mizigo!!!  Uchu wa pesa itafanya watu waende motoni!

Watu Zaidi ya 100 wahofia Kufa - Ajali ya MV Skagit

Baadhi ya wananchi wakiwa katika Foleni ili kwenda kuzitambua Maiti zao katika Viwanja vya Maisara kutokana na  kuzama kwa Meli ya  skagit hapo jana katika Eneo la karibu na Kisiwa cha Chumbe Zanzibar.

 Kutoka BBC.com BOFYA HAPA KUONA VIDEO

A naval search operation resumed at first light to find an estimated 100 people missing after a Tanzanian ferry sank near Zanzibar's main island.

The boat had left the city of Dar es Salaam on mainland Tanzania on Wednesday with 290 people on board.
So far 34 bodies have been recovered and more than 150 people rescued.
Zanzibar's police spokesman told the AFP news agency he feared there was now little hope of finding survivors from the MV Skagit ferry.
"Search operations continue but it is now almost impossible survivors will be found," the agency quotes him as saying.
Three days of mourning Survivors said they fear some of the passengers became trapped in vessel when it capsized in strong winds.
Some complained that they had initially been told everything would be OK and were not shown how to put on life jackets.
Then as the ferry went down, they jumped overboard clinging to life boats that automatically inflated, before being rescued by a passing tug boat.

Ali Mohamed Shein, president of the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, has declared three days of national mourning.
The ferry left Dar es Salaam at 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday bound for the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago.
Hamza Kabelwa, director of the Tanzania Meteorological Agency, told the BBC's Swahili service that a warning had been issued for vessels not to make the crossing because of the rough seas.
Zanzibar's transport minister told reporters that two Europeans were among the dead.
The rescue operation had to be abandoned on Wednesday evening because of bad weather.
The BBC's Hassan Mhelela in Dar es Salaam says on Thursday morning there were many anxious relatives of missing MV Skagit passengers at the airport waiting to fly to Zanzibar.
The route between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar is a busy crossing, popular with both Tanzanians and foreign tourists.
Last September, nearly 200 people died when an overcrowded boat with 800 people aboard sank off Zanzibar.

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Baadhi ya maiti ya watoto waliokufa katika ajali ya MV Skagit.  Mungu alaze roho zao mahala pema mbinguni.  Jamani lini serikali itadhibiti usalama wa usafiri wa meli Tanzania!!!!!

Maiti zikihifadhiwa katika viwanja vya Maisara mjini Zanzibar tayari kwa utambuzi wa ndugu na jamaa.