At least 78 people have been confirmed dead and 66 others are still missing from last week's Tanzanian ferry disaster, raising fears that some 144 passengers may have died.
On Wednesday, the 'MV Skagit', with about 290 passengers and crew aboard, sank off the coast of the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar in East Africa. According to authorities 145 of the passengers have been rescued.
Zanzibari authorities announced on Monday that the number of bodies recovered had risen to 78, with others still missing, AFP reported.
However, police said that there is no hope that the missing passengers could be found alive.
"So far, 78 bodies have been found from the disaster," said Seif Ali Idi, who is the vice president of Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania.
Zanzibar's minister for marine transportation, Hamad Masoud Hamad, resigned from his post over the ferry tragedy.
Idi added that two Western tourists were believed to have died.
He stated that rescuers could not reach the boat and the dead bodies most recently collected were "found floating by fishermen."
"As the government, we are going to improve on the maritime safety regulations to make sure that all vessels which are operating are acceptable and comply with the regulations," Idi said.
Zanzibar police spokesman Mohammed Mhina said that "almost the entire boat has been submerged in water… only a small part of the boat is now visible."
'MV Skagit', which capsized on Wednesday off the port of Zanzibar, had 281 passengers plus nine crew on board.
It was heading for Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam. The boat capsized when it got hit by strong winds accompanied by high waves.
The ship had carried 31 children and some tourists whose number had not been established so far.
According to a statement issued by Surface and Marine Transport (SUMATRA) through its Public Affairs Manager, Mr David Mziray, said that the ship left Dar es Salaam around 12.5pm and issued an alert signal a few minutes later after reaching Chumbe Islet.
In his statement, Mr Mziray hinted that 'Mv Skagit' was given a certificate of standards on August 24, 2011 which was to expire on August 23, this year. He further said that the ship was being owned by Seagul Transport company and was registered by Zanzibar Marine Authority (ZMA).
It has capacity of carrying 300 passengers and 26 tonnes of cargo. The 'MV Skagit' was a Skagit/Kalama Class ferry operated by Washington State Ferries (WSF). Along with the 'MV Kalama', she served on the Seattle-Vashon Island route.
In 2006 WSF was directed to end its passenger-only service, and in 2011 the 'Skagit' and 'Kalama' were sold and transported to Tanzania to provide service between the Mainland and Zanzibar. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) sold the two ferries to Scope Community Consultants Ltd of Port Coquitlam, B.C., for USD400,000.
Sources: allAfrica, PressTV