Death at sea: TMA says it issued alert

Dar es Salaam/Zanzibar. While at least nine people have been confirmed dead and 18 others missing in two marine accidents on the Indian Ocean this week, Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) has said it duly issued a prior warning to seafarers on the precarious nature of the weather at sea.

On Saturday night, four people died and twelve others escaped death narrowly after a storm hit MV Nyaulele dhow, property of Unyaulele Cooperative Society, on the Indian Ocean off the Rufiji District.

And on Sunday morning, five people drowned as 18 others went missing when a Kilimanjaro II ferry boat, owned by Azam Marine was hit by strong waves off Zanzibar’s Nungwi Bay. According to available information, (TMA) had since January 1, this year been alerting seafarers of the danger they were likely to face following the rough weather where the wind speed was above 40km per hour and waves higher than two metres, levels not recommended for ferry boats.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, the director of forecasting services, Dr Hamza Kabelwa, said TMA has been issuing alerts to sea users through the media the agency’s offices located at the ports.

However, according to him, it is upon transporters to make use of the information given by the TMA, for they are the final decision makers when it comes to travelling or otherwise, and this normally depends on the capacity of the vessel.

“We have been alerting seafarers, and we do it every 24 hours through the media and at least twice a day through our officers at the ports. But it is the duty of boat operators to decide on what to do in the context of the information we provide them,” said Dr Kabelwa.

He said the sea is appropriate for small boats when the wind speed is not greater than 30km per hour and waves not higher than 1.5 metres. However, he added, when the wind speed is as higher as 40km per hour, boats may still sail safely.

The TMA continued to warn seafarers over the prolonged rough status at sea caused by strong waves, which, it says, will remain for at least two more days. Contacted for comment yesterday on the said TMA advisory, Azam Marine manager Hussein Said’s phone was picked by an assistant who said the office had no comment.

Meanwhile, as rescue forces continue searching for the seven missing passenger of the ill-fated boat, it was revealed yesterday that Captain Khamis Abubakar Khamis concealed information on the accident.

Speaking to The Citizen, Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) director Abdi Omar Maalim said the statement issued by the captain to the signal station were false and caused delays in rescue.

He said after the boat was hit by the oceanic tide, some passengers who were seated on the deck of the boat were thrown into the sea but the captain reported that there were no such incident, adding that only some rescue equipment and cargo were thus lost.

Mr Maalim said even when he was offered assistance from the Zanzibar signal station, the captain declined, saying that he didn’t require any assistance as only rescue equipment and some cargo had dropped into the sea.

He said the accident occurred at 9.30am but rescue work began in the afternoon after information came from some people who witnessed their fellow passengers being drowned at the sea.

However, the Zanzibar minister for Infrastructure and Communication, Rashid Seif Suleiman said the police are interrogating the Captain of the boat in connection to accident.

He said the focus is now at finding the missing people and after the completion of the work, his ministry will decide whether to form a probe team to investigate the accident or not.

The minister said after crosschecking the names of the passengers who travelled in the boat – the manifest – it was revealed that a total of 15 people died or went missing at sea after the boat was hit by tides causing its engine to switch off, noting that five dead bodies were found and three people were rescued.

Mortuary supervisor at Mnazimmoja Hospital, Mr Vuai Jabir Hassan named the deceased as Rashid Said Ali, 11; Akram Khamis Issa, 11; Mwanakwerekwe, Masoud Hamad, 30; Nushra Khamis, 9, and Fatma Asir Khamis, 18.

Those who were rescued include Mr Ali Maulid Haji (Mwanakwerekwe), Mr Ali Salum Ali (Pemba) and Mr Mahir Ali Issa (Mwanakwerekwe).

Transport services between Unguja and Pemba have temporarily been suspended due to rough weather conditions at the sea following the accident.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Communication, Mr Issa Haji Gavu said the government halted the services after receiving reports from the TMA on substantial changes in the weather pattern that would affect navigation of sea vessels.

He said transporters will be allowed to resume offering transport services when the weather improves.

Reported by Fariji Msonsa in Dar es Salaam and Mwinyi Sadalla in Zanzibar.