An overloaded ferry overturned on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, resulting in the tragic death of at least 15 individuals, while 27 remain missing, according to the national disaster management agency. The agency reported that 77 individuals were rescued and transported to an island on the lake.
Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit indicated that ticket sales confirmed the presence of 114 adult passengers on board the ferry, but there may have been undisclosed children under the ticketing age who were not included in the count. Additionally, the statement mentioned the presence of five crew members on the vessel.
The ferry, with a capacity for 90 passengers, was observed departing with passengers waving from the shore, as shared in a video by local Parliament member Mutsa Murombedzi. Concerns were raised by onlookers on the shore about the ferry’s ability to withstand strong waves on the lake.
Zimbabwean authorities initiated a rescue operation, as evidenced by videos from the state broadcaster ZBC showing speedboats heading towards the overturned vessel on the lake, with a helicopter providing aerial support.
Lake Kariba, situated in southern Africa and forming part of the boundary between Zimbabwe and Zambia, stands as the largest man-made lake globally by volume. Originating from the construction of a dam wall blocking the Zambezi River in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the lake spans over 200 kilometers in length and up to 40 kilometers in width at certain points. The official border between Zimbabwe and Zambia runs through the center of the lake.