At least 187 people died when a ferry sank off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar on Saturday, government officials said.
Some 620 people have been rescued. The ferry was carrying some 800 passengers, RIA Novosti reported.
One survivor said the ferry, the MV Spice Islanders, was heavily overloaded and sank in an area with heavy currents in deep sea off mainland Tanzania in the early hours of Saturday. It is believed to have sunk after losing engine power.
The ferry was travelling between the Zanzibar archipelago's main islands of Unguja and Pemba.
Regional media said the ferry was carrying twice the permitted payload and that many passngers had refused to board when it left port.
The ferry left Unguja at around 21:00 and is said to have sunk at around 01:00.
Three days mourning have been announced.