Search operations are ongoing after 13 people, including 11 children, were involved in an accident off the shores of Lake Victoria in north-western Tanzania.
Two small boats sank on Sunday while carrying worshippers who were returning from a church service at Mchigondo Village, according to a local official.
It's feared they were carrying double their capacity leading to the accident. The passengers are also suspected to have not worn life jackets.
A local official has blamed lack of equipment for the slow pace of rescue operations.
“Boat owners are supposed to abide by the laws and regulations, especially observing vessel’s capacity and possession of rescue equipment in case of tragedies,” Mkama Nyamkinda told a local media outlet.
Tanzania has the biggest share of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, and has recently witnessed deadly boat accidents caused mostly by overloading and poor maintenance of vessels.
In 2018, MV Nyerere - a ferry with a capacity to hold 101 people - sank on the lake killing while carrying as many as 300 people. Some 138 bodies were retrieved from the lake.
