Hundreds of ferry passengers are feared drowned following the sinking of a vessel off the coast of Zanzibar.

As many as 600 people were on board the boat when it went down earlier, with some 380 still unaccounted for.

Some 220 have been pulled from the water, according to officials on the ground.

According to reports, the vessel – MV Spice Islands – was heavily overloaded.

It went down in deep sea between mainland Tanzania and Pemba Island.