More than 50 persons are reported missing--possibly drowned--when a ferry carrying 60 passengers capsized Wednesday on the Ugandan side of Lake Victoria, Ugandan police said Wednesday.

The accident occurred at 5.30 a.m. local time (0230 GMT) when the ferry was sailing from Jjaana islands in Kalangala district to Kasenyi landing site in Wakiso district with timber, sacks of fish and 60 passengers, mostly traders, on board.

Ten passengers were confirmed dead while four survivors were pulled out of the water unconscious and were being treated at a hospital, a police spokesman said.

He said strong winds might have caused the ferry to capsize just when it was to dock near the town of Entebbe, just south of the capital, Kampala.

It is not clear if there were more individuals on the boat in addition to the 14 known passengers.

Lake Victoria is the world's second-largest body of fresh water, bordering Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.

The accident is the third most serious ferry tragedy in East Africa.

In May 1996, the Bukoba ferry sank on its way to Mwanza in Tanzania, taking along with it around 800 persons on board.

And on April 27 of 1994, the MV Mtongwe sank while crossing from Mtongwe to Mombasa Island, drowning 272 individuals.

The full article can be viewed at: http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=65447

RTT News, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation

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