At least 15 people have been killed and 27 others remain missing after an overloaded ferry capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, according to the country’s disaster management agency. The vessel, identified as the Rural Infrastructural Development Agency (RIDA) boat named Mbuya Nehanda, overturned on Tuesday afternoon after being hit by a strong wave in bad weather conditions.
Ferry Capsizes on Lake Kariba Leaving At Least 15 Dead
The ferry provides crucial transport between the northern town of Kariba and several islands and fishing camps, taking about five hours to cross the lake. Local member of Parliament Mutsa Murombedzi posted a video on social media showing people on the shore waving at the vessel at the start of its journey, with some observers expressing concern over whether the aging ferry would survive the strong waves.
Rescue Operations and Survivor Recovery
According to the Zimbabwe Civil Protection Unit (CPU), 77 passengers have been rescued following the disaster. Survivors pulled from the water were initially taken to Long Island, a small island on the lake, and were later brought to the mainland using CPU vessels. Two funeral parlours, Nyaradzo and Doves, were engaged to collect the 15 retrieved bodies, which included the captain of the vessel.
Emergency responders mobilized a multi-agency rescue effort involving local residents, boat operators, an African Parks helicopter from Matusadonha National Park, and a Police Sub-Aqua Unit for underwater search operations. State broadcaster ZBC published video footage showing speedboats heading toward the overturned hull as a helicopter hovered overhead. The active search operation was temporarily suspended overnight due to poor visibility and lighting challenges before resuming the following morning.
Passenger Capacity and Overcrowding Concerns
Authorities reported conflicting figures regarding the exact number of people on board the vessel, which has a designated carrying capacity of 90 people. While initial police statements indicated 90 passengers and five crew members were onboard, the Civil Protection Unit stated that registered ticket sales confirmed 114 adult passengers alongside five crew members.
Officials noted that an uncounted number of children below the ticketing age may also have been on the ferry, raising serious questions about severe overcrowding. RIDA director-general Christopher Shumba described the incident as a major tragedy, noting that while the ferry was equipped with sufficient life jackets, some children may have become separated from their mothers during the chaos. Provincial officials recommended that the accident be formally declared a national emergency to help mobilize additional response resources.
About Lake Kariba
The tragedy occurred on cbc.ca, which lies on Zimbabwe’s northern border with Zambia, more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of the capital city of Harare. Formed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the construction of a dam wall across the Zambezi River, the reservoir is the largest man-made lake in the world by volume. The body of water stretches more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) long and up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in places, supporting regional fishing, transport, and hydroelectric power generation for both Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Читайте также
