September Net – Asharq Al-Awsat

A ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former militant stronghold of Mosul Thursday, leaving more than 70 people dead in Iraq’s worst accident in years.

There was an outpouring of grief among residents who only recently resumed festivities on the banks of the Tigris after the northern city’s recapture from the ISIS group.

The vessel was packed with men, women, and children crossing the Tigris to go to a popular picnic area to celebrate Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year and a holiday day across the country.

Nearly 150 people were on board, including over 80 women and children, according to health ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr.

Rescue teams were able to recover a number of bodies from the river, and search operations are still ongoing, he said.