At least two people were confirmed dead and 50 others rescued after a passenger and cargo boat caught fire on Lake Victoria in northwestern Tanzania, authorities said.
Authorities said late Thursday that the incident occurred in Ukerewe District, Mwanza Region, while the vessel was traveling from Gozba Island in Kagera Region to Mwanza.
In a statement, Tanzania Fire and Rescue Force Mwanza Region Commander Elisa Mugisha said rescue teams were still verifying the number of passengers on board, which was initially reported as 52, with at least two people unaccounted for.
“The deceased were a boy aged about 10 and a 60-year-old man. The survivors escaped without physical injuries but were in shock and have been taken to health facilities in Bwiro and Lyamwenge for treatment,” Mugisha said.
He added that the number of passengers could be higher because the fire completely destroyed the vessel, while strong winds hampered rescue operations.
“Search efforts were ongoing and investigations will be launched to determine the cause of the fire once rescue operations are complete,” he added.
