An overloaded ferry tragically capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives, while 27 individuals remain missing, according to the national disaster management agency. The agency reported that 77 people were rescued and transported to an island on the lake.
Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit stated that based on ticket sales records, there were 114 adult passengers on board the ferry, although there may have been undisclosed children below the ticketing age who were not included in the count. Additionally, the statement mentioned that there were five crew members on the vessel, which has a maximum capacity of 90 passengers.
A video shared by Mutsa Murombedzi, a local member of Parliament, depicted individuals on the shore waving at the aging ferry as it embarked on its journey. The ferry serves as a vital mode of transportation for rural communities traveling along the lake to Kariba town. Concerns were raised in the video about the ferry’s ability to withstand rough waves on the lake.
Zimbabwean authorities initiated a rescue operation following the incident, with the Zimbabwean state broadcaster ZBC releasing footage showing speedboats heading towards an overturned vessel on the lake, while a helicopter provided aerial support.
Lake Kariba, situated in southern Africa, acts as a boundary between Zimbabwe and its neighbor Zambia. It holds the distinction of being the largest man-made lake globally by volume, established in the late 1950s and early 1960s through the construction of a dam wall that impeded the Zambezi River’s flow. This transformation led to the creation of a massive lake spanning over 200 kilometers in length and up to 40 kilometers wide at certain points. The lake is jointly shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, with the official border running through its center.