Hunt for sunken ferry captain starts

POLICE are tracking down the captain of MV Spice Islander which capsized in Nungwi, Nothern Unguja on September 10, killing more than 203 people.

A statement issued by Zanzibar Police Commissioner Mussa Ali Mussa, named the Captain as Said Abdalla Kinyanyite, a resident of Nzasa, Mbagala Charambe, Temeke District in Dar es Salaam.

Commissioner Mussa revealed that the captain vanished after the tragedy and that he hailed from Mbwemkuru village, Pande Division, Kilwa District in Lindi Region.

He appealed to the public, through Community Policing, to volunteer any information related to the captain to the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, the Second Vice- President, Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi, said the sunken MV Spice Islander should be considered as the grave for the bodies still trapped in the ill-fated ferry.

"The information I have is that a team of divers from South Africa, in collaboration with our local divers have not managed to reach the boat lying between 200 and 400 metres.

"Their equipment cannot reach such a depth", the second vice-president informed reporters.

The divers are therefore waiting for a Submarine from South Africa to do the job.

Ambassador Iddi said the government sent a team to Mombasa, Kenya to keep-a-close eye to any bodies linked to the capsized boat. The Second Vice-President said that his office was unable to use DNA machine in identifying the decaying bodies in Mombasa.

"We will just make sure they are buried with respect," he stressed.

Source Daily News