Sinking of MV Spice Islander I
MV Spice Islander I anchored in Zanzibar in 2010 | |
| Date | September 10, 2011 |
|---|---|
| Time | c. 9:00 PM (EAT) |
| Duration | c. 4 hours |
| Location | Zanzibar Channel, Indian Ocean |
| Type | Capsizing |
| Cause | Overloading |
| Participants | At least 800 on board |
| Deaths | Between 200 and 1,500+ |
| Exact figures regarding the number of participants involved and their outcomes are unclear, with various conflicting reports on the numbers. | |
On 10 September 2011, MV Spice Islander I, a passenger ferry, reportedly carrying over 2,000 passengers, sank off the coast of Zanzibar. The ferry was travelling between Unguja and Pemba, two islands off the coast of mainland Tanzania, when it capsized. Early estimates put the death toll at around 200, but a report published by the Tanzanian government in January 2012 claimed that over 1,500 people had been killed.