Boat overturns in Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, 15 dead and 27 missing
· The South African
A boat, which reportedly carried more than 100 people, overturned on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, leaving at least 15 people dead and 27 others missing, in a major rescue operation on the country’s largest inland water body.
Zimbabwe’s national disaster management agency said 77 people were rescued after the boat capsized and reached a small island on the lake.
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Rescue boats were being dispatched to the island to bring the survivors back to safety, while search teams continued looking for those still missing.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, with authorities warning that the casualty figures could change as rescue operations continue.
Boat carrying more passengers than capacity
The vessel was reportedly carrying significantly more people than its stated capacity.
Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit said registered ticket sales showed that 114 adults and five crew members were aboard.
The boat’s stated carrying capacity was 90 people.
Authorities also said there could have been additional children aboard who were not captured in the ticketing records because they were below the ticketing age.
The circumstances that led to the boat overturning have not yet been established.
Rescue operation underway
Zimbabwean authorities have launched a major search-and-rescue operation on Lake Kariba.
Boats have been deployed to the affected area, while a helicopter and an underwater search-and-rescue team have also been involved in the operation.
Footage broadcast by Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation showed speedboats heading towards what appeared to be the overturned vessel, with a helicopter hovering above the lake.
The Civil Protection Unit has recommended that the incident be officially declared a disaster.
Communities rely on boats to cross Lake Kariba
The accident has also highlighted the importance of boat transport for communities living around Lake Kariba.
Local MP Mutsa Murombedzi shared video footage appearing to show people waving goodbye as the vessel began its journey.
She said rural communities use the boat to travel across the lake to Kariba town, a journey that can take about five hours.
The footage also appeared to show some people expressing concern about whether the vessel would withstand strong waves.
Lake Kariba shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Lake Kariba is one of the world’s largest artificial lakes by volume and stretches for more than 200 kilometres along the Zambezi River.
The lake was created following the construction of the Kariba Dam in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Zimbabwe and Zambia share Lake Kariba, with the international border running through the middle of the lake.
The scale of the lake presents additional challenges for rescue teams searching for missing passengers.
As the operation continues, authorities are expected to provide further updates on the number of people rescued, missing and confirmed dead.