At least 15 people dead after ferry overturns in Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba
Search and rescue efforts were ongoing on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba on Tuesday after a ferry capsized during severe weather conditions.
Authorities have confirmed at least 15 deaths, while 77 people have so far been rescued. However, Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit said the total number of passengers aboard the vessel remains unclear.
The ferry is designed to carry 90 passengers and five crew members. However, ticketing records indicate that 114 adults were on board, in addition to an unknown number of children who were below the ticketing age.
Helicopters, boats and divers were deployed to assist with the rescue operation, although bad weather reportedly delayed their arrival at the scene.
According to a witness, the ferry departed in the morning despite the poor weather and may have been struck by a wave, causing its engines to shut down before the vessel capsized.
The ferry normally operates between the northern town of Kariba and several islands and fishing camps located on the lake.
Lake Kariba is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume and was formed in the late 1950s and early 1960s following the construction of a dam across the Zambezi River. The resulting reservoir stretches for more than 200 kilometres and reaches widths of up to 40 kilometres in some areas
