MV Serengeti runs into engine trouble, causes huge panic

Mwanza. Passengers heading to Bukoba aboard MV Serengeti went into a panic mode after the ship developed mechanical problems while on its way.

The ship was carrying 269 passengers along with 64 tonnes of cargo.

Among the travellers on board, Mr Paul Sebastian told this paper that travellers had noted the mechanical challenge even before the ship departed from the dock at the Marine customs.

He said the ship started sailing at around 6:30pm on Tuesday, but it started showing signs of mechanical problems.

According to him, they reported the situation to supervisors aboard the ship because it was an irregular experience.

“We demanded to know why the ship was vibrating and moved in a way that was not normal. They assured us that the ship would stabilise shortly in the course of voyage,” he narrated.

The incident was confirmed by the acting manager for Marine Services Company, Captain Winton Mwassa, who said the captain of the ship Capt. Bembele Ng’wita, sent him a report concerning the mechanical problem.

“The captain cited there was a possibility the propeller shaft system was trapped by fishing nets on the starboard side,” he said.

He added that the captain decided to switch off one of the ship’s engines after it indicated that it was overloaded.

He said ship had to use six more hours on the journey that normally lasts for 12 hours.

According to him, a team of divers were dispatched yesterday to go and inspect the mechanical problem the ship may have developed.

“These are built to develop mechanical problems. So, it is a normal situation for vessels in maritime countries in Africa,” he said.

He reiterated that the ship could have been trapped by fishing nets which were laid along its route by fishermen who believe that fish are attracted by the noise made by vessels travelling in water.

In May 1996, a ship christened MV Bukoba capsized some eight kilometres from Mwanza City and over 1000 people died in a dreadful accident to have ever happened in the country.

On October 10, last year about 381 passengers who were aboard the MV Victoria plying between Bukoba-Mwanza via Kemondo Bay narrowly cheated death, after the engines failed midway.

The passengers had to endure ordeal as port officials at Kemondo made frantic efforts to tug the vessel to shallow waters.