An overloaded ferry overturned on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 15 individuals, while 27 individuals remain missing, according to the national disaster management agency. Reports indicate that 77 people were successfully rescued and transported to an island on the lake.
The Civil Protection Unit of Zimbabwe stated that ticket sales confirmed the presence of 114 adult passengers on board, yet there may have been additional unaccounted-for children below the ticketing age. Additionally, the ferry carried five crew members, exceeding its capacity of 90 individuals.
Mutsa Murombedzi, a local Parliament member, shared a video showing individuals on the shore waving at the ferry before its departure. The ferry, named Mbuya Nehanda, was a crucial mode of transportation for rural communities traveling from Kariba to the town of Kariba, as depicted in the video. Concerns were raised regarding the ferry’s ability to withstand strong waves on the lake.
Zimbabwean authorities initiated a rescue operation following the incident, with visuals from the state broadcaster ZBC showing speedboats and a helicopter responding to the overturned boat on Lake Kariba. Lake Kariba, located in southern Africa, serves as a boundary between Zimbabwe and Zambia, being the largest man-made lake globally in terms of volume. Constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by creating a dam wall to block the Zambezi River, the lake spans over 200 kilometers in length and up to 40 kilometers in width in certain areas. Zimbabwe and Zambia share ownership of the lake, with the official border passing through its center.
