MV Mapinduzi sinks, 13 crew members rescued

By Mwinyi Sadallah

MV Mapinduzi, the ship that the Zanzibar government sold to a private operator has reportedly sank in Seychelles after being hit by strong waves while en route to India from Zanzibar.

According to Zanzibar Ship Registrar Abdallah Mohammed Abdallah, the ship sank on Friday but all the 13 Pakistani crew members on board were rescued.

The Zanzibar government sold the ship to Badr East African Enterprises Limited owned by Giafar M. Beder for $ 410,000 (Sh 604 million).

“We have received news that MV Mapinduzi sank on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Seychelles but all the seafarers survived after being rescued,” said Abdallah.

But Zanzibar Government Minister for Infrastructure and Communication Hamad Masoud said the ship was heading for Yemen for major repairs as it was out of order.

The minister said the government would not pay any compensation for the ship as it had already been sold to the private operator in a transaction made during the sixth phase government led by former President Amani Abeid Karume.

The ship began its journey on January 12 this year at Malindi Port in Zanzibar. The Zanzibar government reached a decision to sell the worn-out ship late last year. It had the capacity for 750 passengers and 1500 tons of cargo.

The ship was bought in 1974 by the second phase government of former Zanzibar President Aboud Jumbe.