On March 21, thousands of Mosul residents flocked to Um El-Rabe'ayn Island, a touristic area about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of the city center, to celebrate Nowruz, Mother's Day and spring, unaware that the festival would turn into another rendezvous with death in this war-torn city.
Amid a festive atmosphere, an overcrowded ferry capsized in the Tigris River, close to its bank, killing more than 120 people, mostly women and children, while dozens are still missing after the victims were swept away by the strong river currents.