Several hundred people are feared missing after a ferry capsized in Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania..

Over 200 people are feared dead, AFP reports, citing the country's government.
Over 100 have been rescued, but there are reports that the ferry may have had over 400 passengers, the BBC reports.

– When you pack boats this full, and the accident happens, it happens quickly, says Johan Ripås, foreign reporter.

Around 40 people have been confirmed dead. The rescue operation has been suspended until Friday morning, according to Reuters.

– There are probably many who cannot swim. It is an incredibly tragic event, says Johan Ripås.

The ferry Nyerere is said to have capsized near land between the islands of Ukora and Bugolora.

Boat accidents are not uncommon on Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. Over 800 people died in a shipping disaster there in 1996.

– Many of these boats are old colonial ships where rescue facilities have been removed to make room for more people, says Johan Ripås.

Source:TT-svt.se