A boat carrying at least 95 people has sunk on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, with multiple deaths feared and rescue teams searching for survivors.
Police said the vessel was carrying 90 passengers and five crew members when it capsized on Tuesday. However, concerns have emerged that the boat may have been overloaded. Ticket records suggest that far more people could have been on board.
The vessel reportedly left in the morning in poor weather conditions. A witness who spoke to AFP said the boat may have been struck by a wave before overturning.
Lake Kariba sits along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is one of the world’s largest man-made reservoirs. The lake supports fishing and transport while also providing important hydroelectric power to both countries.
The reported number of people on board has become a major concern. The Associated Press quoted Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit as saying that registered ticket sales indicated that 114 adults had travelled on the vessel.
There may also have been an unknown number of children below the age at which passengers are required to purchase tickets. This potentially puts the total number of people aboard even higher. Local MP Mutsa Murombedzi shared a video on X that she said showed the boat at the beginning of its journey. She said residents regularly used the vessel to cross the lake to Kariba town, a journey that can take about five hours.
“We have very hard questions that require honest answers. The officials must release the correct number of people who were onboard,” Murombedzi wrote.
The circumstances surrounding the sinking remain unclear, although bad weather and a possible wave have emerged as potential factors.
Rescue Operations
Rescue operations are currently under way as authorities search for those who may have survived the accident. Police have not yet confirmed the number of people rescued or those who have died.
The authorities said further details on the casualties and rescue effort would be released “in due course”.
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