At least 15 people were killed and 27 others remained missing after an overloaded ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, the country’s national disaster management agency said on Wednesday.
The Civil Protection Unit said 77 people had been rescued and reached a small island on the lake following the accident. Boats were being dispatched to bring the survivors back to safety, while an underwater search and rescue team was deployed to assist in the operation.
The ferry was carrying more passengers than its stated capacity when it capsized, raising concerns over overcrowding and safety conditions on the major waterway shared by Zimbabwe and neighbouring Zambia.
At least 114 adults and five crew members were onboard
According to the Civil Protection Unit, registered ticket sales indicated that 114 adult passengers and five crew members were onboard the vessel when it overturned.
The agency said there could also have been an unknown number of children below the ticketing age who were travelling on the ferry and were therefore not included in the passenger records.
The vessel had a stated carrying capacity of 90 people, meaning the number of registered adult passengers alone was significantly higher than the permitted capacity.
The agency recommended that the accident be officially declared a disaster as rescue and recovery operations continued.
Rescue teams deployed as survivors wait on island
Zimbabwean authorities launched a search and rescue operation after the ferry capsized. Seventy-seven people managed to reach a small island in the lake, where they were awaiting assistance to return to the mainland.
Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster ZBC published video showing speedboats travelling towards what appeared to be the overturned ferry, while a helicopter hovered over the area.
An underwater team was also deployed to search for people who remained unaccounted for. Authorities had not immediately provided details on the circumstances in which the ferry capsized or the condition of those rescued.
Earlier, Zimbabwe police confirmed that a rescue operation was underway but did not provide further details.
Ferry used by rural communities to reach Kariba
Mutsa Murombedzi, a local member of Parliament, shared a video showing people on the shore as what appeared to be the ageing ferry departed at the beginning of its journey.
Murombedzi said rural communities use the vessel to travel along Lake Kariba to the town of Kariba. The journey usually takes about five hours, she said.
The video also showed people on the shore expressing concern about whether the ferry would be able to withstand strong waves on the lake.
The circumstances surrounding the capsizing, including whether weather or the vessel’s condition played a role, had not been established by authorities.
Lake Kariba is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia
Lake Kariba is one of Africa’s major inland water bodies and is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia. The official border between the two countries runs through the middle of the lake.
The lake was created in the late 1950s and early 1960s following the construction of a dam across the Zambezi River. The dam caused the valley to gradually fill with water, creating the vast lake.
Lake Kariba stretches for more than 200 kilometres and reaches widths of up to about 40 kilometres in some areas. It is considered the world’s largest man-made lake by volume.
The lake supports communities living along its shores and is used for transportation, fishing and other activities.
Investigation expected as search continues
The immediate focus remained on locating the 27 people reported missing and ensuring that the survivors stranded on the island were brought back safely.
The discrepancy between the ferry’s capacity and the number of registered passengers is likely to form part of the authorities’ examination of the accident. The Civil Protection Unit has not yet provided a detailed account of how the vessel became overloaded or what caused it to capsize.
Authorities were continuing search and rescue operations on Wednesday, with boats and an underwater team involved in efforts to locate those still missing.
The final number of casualties could change as rescue teams reach the affected area and authorities establish whether additional passengers, including children who were not covered by ticketing records, were aboard the ferry.
(With inputs from AP)
Zimbabwe ferry capsizes on Lake Kariba, killing 15 and leaving 27 missing
