Ferry packed with holiday-makers and children sinks off Zanzibar

The ferryboat en route from Zanzibar with over 600 passengers on board sank off the coast of Tanzania. As many as 260 passengers have been rescued as of yet. All others are still missing, Baltinfo said.

Forty-three bodies have been recovered from water, officials of the local law-enforcement agencies said. The exact number of victims is uknown because the ferryboat was overcrowded.

The MV Spice Islander boat was traveling from Zanzibar's main island of Ungunja to Pemba Island - a popular tourist destination. Many passengers were coming home from holidays; there were many children aboard.

The vessel capsized at about 1:00 a.m. The accident occurred because of unfavorable weather conditions and violation of safety rules.

At least 40 of those rescued were seriously injured, including some hit by falling debris as the boat rolled onto one side, he said, adding that the death toll could still rise higher, Emirates 24/7 said.

Ferries have a poor safety record in Tanzania. In May 2009, a ferry capsized leaving six people dead, while several fires on cargo boats have been reported in recent years.