Near the Iraqi city of Mosul, a ferry on the Tigris has sunk. At least 45 people were reportedly killed. Among the victims are women and children, said Ninawa Province Civil Defense Director Hussam Chalil. According to him, so far twelve survivors have been rescued from the river.
The ship had many families that wanted to translate to a popular picnic area, it said by a representative of the Interior Ministry. On March 21, the Kurdish New Year celebrates Newroz.
A representative of the security forces in Mosul said the ship was completely overloaded. There were more than a hundred people on board.
After heavy rains in recent days, the authorities had opened the floodgates at the Mossul Reservoir and called the residents to vigilance because of the increased amount of water.