The vessel, identified as the Mbuya Nehanda and owned by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency, overturned near Long Island while travelling from Kariba to Chalala Fishing Camp on Tuesday afternoon. The Zimbabwe Civil Protection Unit confirmed that 114 adult passenger tickets had been sold, along with five crew members on board. However, officials warned that an unknown number of children below ticketing age may have been aboard but were not included in the passenger count.
Overloaded Vessel and Rescue Efforts
The boat had a carrying capacity of 90 people, raising serious concerns that it was severely overloaded at the time of the accident. A report by Cecilia Chitiyo, Director of Local Government in the Office of the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution, confirmed the vessel was carrying 114 adult passengers, five crew members and an undisclosed number of children. Reports suggest the actual number on board could have been significantly higher, with some sources indicating more than 160 adults may have been on the ferry.
A major search-and-rescue operation was immediately launched across the lake, with emergency teams including the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority personnel and other responders deployed to the scene. The Police Sub-Aqua Unit has been airlifted to the area to reinforce the search and rescue effort. An underwater team has been deployed on the lake, which forms part of the border between Zimbabwe and neighbouring Zambia.
The survivors were taken to Long Island on the lake, with boats being dispatched to bring them back to the mainland. Funeral services companies Nyaradzo and Doves Funeral Parlours have been engaged to collect the bodies for processing.
Eyewitness Accounts
Mutsa Murombedzi, a local member of Parliament, posted video footage on social media showing people on shore waving off the ageing ferry at the start of its journey, with some appearing concerned about whether it would survive strong waves on the lake.
One survivor recounted the harrowing experience to local media: "We were about halfway to our destination when the boat started taking on water. Within minutes, it capsized. People were screaming and trying to grab onto anything they could find. It was chaos."
Another survivor described the lack of safety equipment on board: "There were no life jackets. People were just trying to stay afloat. Many couldn't swim and were calling for help."
Search and Recovery Continues
The search and recovery operation is expected to continue for several days as authorities work to locate the missing passengers and retrieve all bodies from the lake. The Zimbabwean government has expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and has promised a thorough investigation into the cause of the disaster.
Lake Kariba, the largest man-made lake in the world by volume, forms part of the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Rural communities use the ferry to travel along the lake to the town of Kariba. However, safety concerns have been raised previously about the condition of vessels operating on the lake and the lack of adequate safety equipment for passengers.
With reporting from Channel Africa, EWN, Anadolu Ajansı, Daily Pioneer, Associated Press and allAfrica.com.
