RESCUE teams yesterday searched Africa's largest lake for survivors from a Tanzanian ferry which capsized and spilled hundreds of passengers into crocodile and hippopotamus infested waters.
Local media reports said more than 500 people had perished, among them schoolchildren and members of a church choir. A senior official of the state railway company, which owns the MV Bukoba ferry, said he thought the toll would be closer to 300.
However, some reports claimed that a number of illicit passengers had been crammed on to the craft, and there could have been as many as 900 people aboard.
"I think there were around 900 or 1,000 on board," said survivor: Mr Erafto Kinubi (36), a Tanzanian businessman.
He said the boat keeled over at about 7.30 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
"I went to where the life jackets were but there were too many people fighting and there weren't enough jackets anyway. Then there was another wave and the ship flipped upside down. I was thrown clear," he said.
"I said my last prayers. I was ready to die and then I saw a life jacket floating past. I caught it and struggled into it and held on to a floating ring until I was rescued."
He said most of those who died were trapped in cabins.
"The ship was hit by waves and rolled to one side and overturned quickly. They couldn't get out," he added.
At least 120 survivors had been plucked out of Lake Victoria and 25 bodies recovered, said Mr P. J. Kyesi, the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) acting deputy managing director.
President Benjamin Mkapa was travelling to the scene of the disaster, his country's worst shipping tragedy. He declared a three day period of national mourning from yesterday.
Rescue teams searched for survivors and bodies on the lake yesterday, said Capt Cyeophas Magoge, head of the TRC marine division.
Neighbouring Kenya and Uganda were assisting Tanzania in rescue operations, officials said. Two Ugandan ships sighted the MV Bukoba as it went down and were the first to reach the accident scene, TRC officials added.
Army, navy and police units and members of the International Committee the Red Cross were taking part in the rescue effort.
"Rescue teams found 120 people and we also expect there could be more survivors on makeshift rafts, so we are scavenging to find them", Mr Kyesi said.
Passengers who had not drowned still risked attack by crocodiles and hippopotamuses which abound in the 70,000 sq km (27,000 square miles) lake.
State radio said more than 500 people had died and the boat had been heavily overloaded. Local dailies reported that among the passengers were 40 secondary schoolchildren and 20 members of a church choir.
A Transport Ministry spokesman said the ferry was carrying 433 people - its legal capacity - but officials at Mwanza port said it was often overloaded.
"We are all very shocked but we, just don't know what's happening. We shall have more details when our bosses return from the accident scene", a TRC official said.
The ferry captain, Mr Reuben, Rume, was among the survivors being treated at a hospital in Mwanza, officials said.
The Belgian built ferry, commissioned in 1979, went down near Karumo island, 30 nautical miles from the western town of Mwanza.
Mr Kyesi denied reports the vessel hit a rock before it went down. Mwanza regional police commander, Mr Ignas Mtana, said they were still investigating.