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| LCT Spice Islander at the docks |
All Media in Tanzania and the Rest of the World, on 10th of September, Only one day Before September 11,the Day that the Whole world are remembering the 10th anniversary of September 11, Zanzibar Got Disaster of its own Kind.
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| On my (author's) wedding day |
So What Happened . . . .?
“After Celebrating the Finishing of Ramadan, I was having bad Dreams about my Family, and because my Wife (Saade Hamad Bakar) is Planning to Travel, I was much Concerned about this Trip.” Said Sabry.
It was Tradition here in Zanzibar that, When a Member of the Family is Getting Married it is mandatory to all members of the Family whenever they are to attend and Give Blessing to Groom and Bride and Bide Farewell. Because of this Tradition I give Permission for my Wife to attend this Ceremony in Matuuni Pemba, the other Part in Zanzibar accompanied by her Sister In-law, Amina Mmanga with her Baby Mariam.
I make all Preparation for this Trip including accompanying her up to Port but I didn’t get the access to see the Situation because the Environment in the Devastating and the area was too much Populated with about 3,000 Travelers who all of them want to get on Board of the Ship. I leave my Wife to his Brother to assist her on the Ship.
When the Trip Starts
The Ship Starts its Trip from Dare salaam, on Friday 9th But the unconfirmed Report said that, the Ship was loaded with Cargo and Passengers more than its Capacity and this Gives a Room for SUMATRA to intervene and Stop the ship until some of the Cargo have been unloaded. The Crew tried to unload some of the Ship until SUMATRA was agreed with the Capacity and Release the Ship.
MV Spice Islander arrived in Zanzibar Port the same Day with about 300 Passengers (the infants and trace passer are not accounted) with estimation of more than 100 Passengers that were not in the Ship Manifesto. The only One Third of the travelers from Dare salaam finish their Trip in Zanzibar and the Remaining People Estimated to be 350 remain for the Next Trip, Pemba Trip.
Now the Pemba Trip Began.
The MV Spice Islander was already having about 350 Travelers with Cargo which includes Iron Steel, Wheat, Rice, Cement, Seven Prado Cars and other Models, Just to Estimate.
Ferry boats are inherently unseaworthy in rough weather and dangerous because they sink quickly once they begin to take on water or capsize in heavy seas or experience collisions with other vessels or reefs. Moreover, regulations are lax and not enforced in many countries with the result that ferries are over-loaded and carry insufficient life preservers.
Now, Port Authority allowed the Crew to Board 610 New Travelers according to Ship Manifesto including more than 400 infants which have not shown in the Manifesto because they were allowed to Board the Ship without a Ticket. We are Saying more that 400 infants because it is a Tradition in Zanzibar on this time of the Year when Students travelled to Unguja to celebrate the Ending of Ramadan (EID) with the other Members of the Family and also was a Wedding Season and the Family Member was travelling to back to Pemba. Also there is a lot of Trespassers who were not recorded in the Ship Manifesto because no official ticket were given
So the Total Number of Travelers on Board are Estimated to be between 1,500 – 2000.
After seeing the Bad situation onboard the Ship, Some Travelers opt to leave the Ship BUT Crew were very Restricting some travelers to come outside the Ship because of their Commercial Reasons.
When the Ship start the Journey there were some Technicality were seen and it was returned to the Docking Station to Rectify the Problem. The Cargo was and the Captain starts the Engine and when seen it is Floating without earlier Problems, The Journey Started and the Trip normally takes 8 to 10 hours to reach Pemba Island. Some unconfirmed Report said that even the Owner of the ship was alerted and after long Discussion they decide to let the Ship Starts its Journey.
It was around midnight when I Received the First Call from my Sister in-law that, there is unconfirmed Report that the MV Spice Islander is Sinking! I was Shocked because on my earlier dreams I see this and in three days before this I was not in Good Mood, I was sure now it Happens, Yes the Ship is Sinking and I started to Prays!
What Authorities have to Say…..
The Official Report said that, there are 600 People that were saved and about 200 Hundred Dead Bodies Recovered but the Number of Deaths are still numbered.
ON Official Interview with Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, H.E Hamad Masoud (Engineer) Minister of Transport Zanzibar said that, among of the Reasons for this accident is the Tradition that Zanzibarians have that they are travelling in Family Groups, many infants and they are boarding the Ships even its already loaded. He insisted that the Government will Plays its Part to make sure the Accident like this will NEVER Happen Again.
Now this Three Question has to be answered by the Authority.
1.How Many times the Zanzibar Authority through its Security Forces has succeeded in Restricting Public Demonstrations against the Government but Failed to restrict this Trip to Start?
2.The same Accident has happened with MV Fatahi and the AUTHORITY was commissioned Special task Force to investigate the Accident and advice the Government and the Report Reveal among many, the Bad Condition of the Ships and overloaded as among factors, was this Implemented?
3.Before embarking on a ferry trip in open water, travelers are well advised to check the weather forecast; whether there are sufficient life preservers on the ferry; and to get off if it appears that the vessel will be overloaded, Was this done Properly?
Some Reports says, there is still trapped Dead Bodies on Ferry especially those who were in the first Class Rooms.
Also all officers of the Government who are Present at the Port have to answer some of the above question and Prove that this is not a Corruption Scenario.
Also we are asking Captain of the Ship, MV Spice Islander and his Crew Members have to answer this Question as there is Report that they unload the Small Boat and Runs away.
What the Victims have to said;
I was in a MV Spice Islander and when we got into Nungwi the Ship starts to crack and water come inside, we are instructed to go other side of the Ship and when we go there and that side also starts to sink and SOS instructions were given and I Jump to the water, Fortunately I grasp a Sleeping Mate which save my Life” Traveler
I saw a number of Dead Bodies along the seashore of Nungwi resembling the Coconut” A Whiteman who runs diving Shop in Nungwi.
Now Personally, I am Ready to assists the Authority in Investigating this Accident so that the Normal People like me can Prove that the Authority are Not Corrupt.
“The Last word of my Wife still is in my Head, Please return Home”
God Bless Africa,
God Bless Tanzania,
God Bless Zanzibar
Contacts:
I'm really sorry for the Accident... My Deepest Sympathy and Condolences to ALL...
ReplyDeleteI read the story, I would like to know all of his relatives who were travelling with his dear wife perish? How about his dear wife?
KenRon
New York
Hajatuambia hal ya ndugu zake pamoja na mkewe
ReplyDeletepole kwa yaliyoikuta familia yako. Ila ungeiandika kwa kiswahili ingefaa zaidi
ReplyDeleteMdau uliyeta habari hii pole kwa madhila yote yaliyokufika, Mwenyezi Mungu atawapa nguvu kuweze kupita salama katika kipindi hiki kigumu cha janga hili, na opia wengi wengine bado wanakuhitaji uwepo ukiwa na nguvu na akili zako timamu.
ReplyDeleteAngalizo: siku nyingine ni vema ukaandika kwa lugha ya Kiswahili, au kama ni lazima kuandika kwa Kiingereza na unataka ujumbe ufike kwa wasiojua Kiswahili, basi baada ya kuandika ujumbe wako tafuta mtu akusaidie kuhakiki habari yako ili ujumbe ufike kwa lugha iliyonyooka, maana kwa kweli ujumbe umefika lakini Kiingereza kilichondikwa hapa kimepondekapondeka mno!
It looks like he lost his family. I think this is the guy who lost 32 famiy members who were to attend a wedding in Pemba.
ReplyDeleteKwanini hakuandika kiswahili maana hiki kiingereza, lo. Pole kwa matatizo.
ReplyDeletestory inasikitisha ijapokua Kiinglish kidogo kimempa tabu na kwa vile si muandishi ndio maana hajatuambia hao ndugu zake vipi ila ameona aende kwenye point straight kuwa lawama kwa serikali.
ReplyDeleteHaman Masoud ni mbunge wa CUF,na ni dhahiri CUF hawaiwezi nchi nimeshaona mimi ni CUF damu lakini kwa matukio kama haya sifikiri kama wangeiweza nchi peke yao kwanza.
HAMAD MASOUD KWENYE BARAZA LA WAKILISHI ALITHIBITISHA KUWA MELI ZA ABIRIA ZANZIBAR ZIPO HALI NZURI NA ABIRIA WASIENDELEE KUTISHWA.
PILI UZOEFU WA KUONGOZA CUF WAKIINGIA MADARAKANI UTAPATA 2% TU WAKATI CCM WAMEKUA WAKIONGOZA MUDA MREFU.
TATU,HAMADI MASOUD BADALA YA KUELEZA POINT ANASEMA NI TRADITIONAL KWA ZANZIBAR KUSAFIRI KWA PAMOJA,HAYA UTAIGAWA VIPI FAMILIA?
NNE ABIRIA HAWANA LAWAMA KWA KUWA WAO WANAUZIWA TIKET WAKATI TOFAUTI NA KILA MMOJA ANASABABU ZAKE ZA KUWAHI KAZINI AU SHULE AU KWENYE SHEREHE,NA VILE VILE ABIRIA HAWAJUI UWEZO WA MELI KWA HIYO WASILAUMIWE.
TANO HAMAD MASOUD AMEKAA KIMYA HATA KWENYE MSIBA HAONEKANI LAKINI MH WAZIRI WA NCHI AMEKUA KIMBELE MBELE KUELEZA KILA KITU IJAPOKUA SIO JUKUMU LAKE.
TUNAOMBA WOTE WAWAJIBIKE NA ILI KUPUNGUZA MACHUNGU BASI HAMAD MASOUD NA WATU WA BANDARI WOTE WAWAJIBIKE IJAPOUA WANATUPIANA MPIRA KUWA KUNA KITENGO MAALUM CHA KUSHUHULIKIA USALAMA.LAKINI INGEKUA INFORMATION INAWEKWA WAZI HEALTH AND SAFETY BASI JANGA HILI LISINGETOKEA.
Pole sana Sabry,, vipi mke wako na ndugu zake wamesalimika,,tuambie tafadhali
ReplyDeletehii ajali mimi niliiota usiku wa kuamkia alhamisi maana niliota namtoa mtoto majini akiwa amekufa eti ni mtoto wa jirani yangu ila kumbe watu ndio wanateketea
ReplyDeletePole sana SABRY,Mungu akupe subra kama jina lako lilivyo.Sote tunaelekea huko ila tu tutatofautiana njia za kufika.(wengine kwa ajali,wengine maradhi, wengine bunduki n.k)
ReplyDeleteNa kuhusu kiingereza kwa kweli hakina shida, kama wadau wengine wanavyocomment maana "Kama artical hii ina makosa ya lugha sijui usahihi wake utakuwaje?"
Pole sana kaka, jamani mkisoma mstari wake wa mwisho amesema bado kauli aliyomwambia mkewe asafiri nakurejea nyumbani wakati amempeleka kupanda meli anaikumbuka na ipo ndani ya kichwa chake. hivyo ni dhahiri kwamba mkewe hakurudi (amefariki katika ajali). Pole sana naamini Mola atakupa nguvu tena.
ReplyDeleteMungu ibariki nchi yangu.
Pole sana kwa waathirika wote wa ajali hiyo mbaya. Tuwaombee wenzetu waliotangulia mbele ya haki Mwenyezi Mungu aziweke roho zao mahali pemapeponi, amin. Sabry hujahitimisha mwisho wa habari yako, ni watu wangapi wamepoteza maisha yao katika wanaokuhusu ikiwa ni pamoja na kutujuza juu ya mkeo?
ReplyDeleteMy deepest sympathy to the author for his loss as well as all the people of Zanzibar and Tanzania as a whole for this loss. May God bless all the lost souls. Having said that, I agree with the previous comments that the gist of the story was lost due to very poor english. I believe the story would have been most effective had it been told in swahili since it is quite obvious that the authors emotions were highly impeded by his lack of profficience in the english language (this is not meant to be an insult. I'm just saying that The story would have best been told in swahili)
ReplyDelete