The boat has a carrying capacity of 90 people. Some people on the shore expressed concern about the boat’s ability to survive strong waves on the lake.
Zimbabwe Boat Tragedy: 15 dead, 27 missing, search operation intensifies: A Boat Carrying over 100 People Capsizes on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Tuesday. At least 15 people died, and 27 are missing, the national disaster management agency said. It said 77 people were rescued safely and are now sheltering on a small island. Boats are being dispatched to bring the survivors back, the agency said.
The boat, which provides transport between the northern town of Kariba and several islands and fishing camps, overturned after hitting strong waves. Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit said ticket sales confirmed that 114 adult passengers and five crew members were on board, while an unknown number of children below the ticketing age may also have been travelling on the ferry. The boat has a carrying capacity of 90 people, an official said. Local MP Mutsa Murombedzi posted a video which shows people bidding farewell to passengers on the shore before the boat sets off on its journey. She said that residents of the local rural areas use the lake route to reach Kariba town that is usually a 5-hour journey. Some people on the shore expressed concern about the boat’s ability to survive strong waves on the lake. Zimbabwe police stated that rescue operations are ongoing and further details are awaited.
Lake Kariba, in southern Africa, forms part of the border between Zimbabwe and neighbouring Zambia. It is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume and was created in the late 1950s and early 1960s by damming the Zambezi River, creating a lake that is now more than 200 km long and up to 40 km wide in places.
ALSO READ: Abu Dhabi Offers Free UAE Visa to Eligible Indian Tourists
