Seven bodies of children who drowned in Arusha have been identified – Tanzania

Arusha: Seven bodies of Ghati Memorial Primary School students who died after the car they were in were washed away by water yesterday, have been identified.

The accident that killed eight people including seven of the 11 students who were there and one rescuer, happened yesterday April 12, 2024 at 12:40 in the morning in a gorge filled with water in the Dampo area in Arusha region.

Rescue operations that lasted 11 hours, led by citizens and security agencies, succeeded in finding the bodies of seven students and one adult, while one student is still missing.

Arusha Regional Fire Commander Osward Mwanjejele said today April 13, 2024 that the bodies identified are Shedrak William, Noel Jonas and Dolan Jeremiah, Winfrida Emmanuel, Atrichan Emmanuel, Morgan Emmanuel, Abigail Peter and Abiabol Peter.”

He said the rescue team has returned to work to search for one child whose whereabouts are unknown after the bodies were found to be seven instead of eight to complete the number of 11 students who were in the car when the accident happened.

“We found that the number of students who were there was 11 and the driver and Matron, but yesterday in the rescue we found seven bodies and three survivors, which means that the count still refuses, it means that there is one student who has not been seen” said Mwanjejele.

He said that the rescue team from the Fire Brigade together with the Police in cooperation with the citizens have returned to the scene of the incident to follow the stream of water until it spills water in the Olokii area, more than 35 kilometers.

He has used the opportunity to ask the people to be careful about the ongoing rains, asking schools with vehicles to transport students to increase attention.

The body of the Samaritan Commander Mwanjejele has appealed to the people: “Residents of the area should come forward to identify the body of one person who was helping rescue operations, found yesterday.”