Nairobi, Kenya — The death toll in a ferry capsize in Lake Victoria climbed to more than 100 on Friday, as Tanzanian rescue workers pressed on with searches to find scores of more people feared drowned. Witnesses reached by AFP said the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock. With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometers (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. Waters in the lake can be rough and boats are frequently poorly maintained, while ferry operators often fail to record the number of passengers on board. Around 20 people were killed in December 2016 when their boat overturned in Lake Victoria as it was carrying passengers to Uganda’s mainland for Christmas holidays.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 21, 2018 10:45 UTC