Amanze Chinonye
At least 44 people have died after an overloaded passenger ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, with rescue teams continuing to search for victims after survivors said they urged the captain to turn back as waves grew increasingly dangerous, Prime Business Africa reports.
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The Mbuya Nehanda ferry overturned on Tuesday while travelling from Kariba town towards Chalala fishing camps. Authorities said the vessel was designed to carry 90 passengers, but the number of people aboard may have been significantly higher.
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Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit said ticket records showed 114 adult passengers and five crew members aboard the ferry, while additional children may have been travelling without tickets. A surviving crew member said as many as 153 people, including crew and infants, may have been aboard when the vessel departed.
The casualty figures have changed as rescue teams recovered bodies from the lake. Earlier reports put the death toll at 15, with 27 people missing and 77 rescued, but authorities later confirmed at least 44 deaths. The final number of people aboard remains uncertain.
Survivors said the ferry encountered strong winds and large waves shortly after leaving the harbour. Some passengers reportedly called for the journey to be abandoned after water began entering the vessel and goods started falling overboard.
A surviving crew member said passengers were alerted to the danger after water entered the engine room. Survivors described people scrambling for life jackets as the ferry began to overturn, with some later clinging to the upturned hull or floating objects while waiting for rescue.
The captain was among those who died, according to Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper.
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Rescue operations have involved police divers, boats, civil protection teams and aircraft as authorities search the lake for additional victims. Uncertainty over the number of passengers is complicating efforts to establish the final number of people missing.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the disaster a state of disaster, allowing the government to mobilise additional resources to assist victims and their families.
Lake Kariba, which borders Zimbabwe and Zambia, is a major transport route for communities around the lake. The disaster has renewed attention on passenger safety, particularly the enforcement of vessel capacity limits and precautions for operating in severe weather.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
