Kigoma. Four people are feared dead after the fuel vessel MV Pacific exploded and sank at Kigoma Port on Lake Tanganyika, with rescue teams continuing efforts to recover bodies and establish the exact number of people who were on board.

The accident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. on Friday when the vessel, which was carrying fuel, caught fire before a massive explosion caused it to sink into the lake.

According to Kigoma Regional Police Commander SACP Filemon Makungu, as of Saturday, August 29, 2026, authorities had recovered the bodies of four men, while three other people listed on the vessel’s passenger manifest remained missing.

“We are still continuing with the operation because, according to the passenger manifest, there may have been between seven and 10 people on board,” Makungu said.

He said rescue teams were still searching the sunken vessel, with divers working to determine whether more bodies were trapped inside.

“So far, we have recovered four bodies, and the operation is still ongoing. The fire has been completely extinguished, and we are now conducting inspections,” he added.

The vessel was reportedly carrying about 160,000 litres of fuel, all of which is believed to have been destroyed in the blaze.

Edward Mabula, a manager with the Tanzania Ports Authority overseeing ports on Lake Tanganyika, said preliminary information indicated that the vessel had experienced difficulties with its starter system while preparations were being made to move it.

“The information I received this morning was that the vessel had a problem with its starter. When they tried to start it, it produced sparks, followed by smoke, and eventually the fire broke out,” Mabula said.

He explained that because the vessel was carrying a large quantity of fuel, the fire quickly spread to its fuel tanks, causing explosions that engulfed the entire vessel.

Mabula said the vessel subsequently sank into the lake, while the full extent of the accident’s impact was not immediately known.