Two articles about the Kazangula ferry capsizing.

[randomness]

This one has a picture of the overturned truck, while this says that the authorities have given up searching for the remaining bodies.

The cynic in me is sure that if any Westerners (like me, for instance) had been on the ferry at the time it capsized, it wouldn't have been so hard to find news reports to link to.

Comments

[ladybird97.livejournal.com]

*shudder* How awful!

I'm very glad you're safe and sound, and I hope you continue to be so on your travels.

It's been amazingly cool to read about your journey...I've wanted to go to Africa for ages, and you're making me think it might actually be possible someday! I can't wait to hear more!

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Oh, I personally was never in danger.

I looked at the possible alternatives:
1) by road and rail through Zimbabwe, a country that is going through economic and political meltdown
2) by road through Botswana, ending with a ferry across the Zambezi to cross from Botswana into Zambia

I heard about the ferry disaster in South Africa, where it was reasonably big news.

I decided to fly in.

Actually, everyone I'd talked to had said, "You *must* to see Victoria Falls. But you should fly."

So I did. :)

Just avoid Balgladesh and you'll be fine...

[frotz.livejournal.com]

I get a monthly feed of international shipping news, and I continue to be amazed at what goes unreported. The 1 October report is the first one I can remember that doesn't list a three-digit number of third world ferry deaths. (The only total loss listed is the San Nicolas in Manila bay after a collision with the Superferry 12, although there were scads of lesser but notable incidents, including (closer to home) one each in Alaska, BC, Washington, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia waters, none of which I heard about in the popular media.) So far as I can tell, the attitude in most of the world is "They're boats. Shit happens. Deal."

Just avoid Bangladesh. The number of (decrepit, overloaded) ferries that have sunk on the coast and rivers there this year is appalling.

Re: Just avoid Balgladesh and you'll be fine...

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Is this feed by email? I'm curious as to what it looks like and how to subscribe.

You're right about the attitude, too.

Re: Just avoid Balgladesh and you'll be fine...

[frotz.livejournal.com]

No such luck, it's on paper. Poke me if you're around sometime and I'll show you a copy. (When are you back, anyway? Are you giving winter in New England a complete miss?) Anyway, I suspect you'd find it fascinating; I know I do. The world maritime scene is a really funky place; the ultimate collision of the not-so-invisible hand of the market and mother nature.