An overloaded ferry tragically overturned on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives and leaving 27 individuals still unaccounted for, according to the national disaster management agency. The agency reported that 77 people were successfully rescued and transported to an island within the lake.
While the Zimbabwe Civil Protection Unit could confirm the presence of 114 adult passengers based on ticket sales, there may have been additional children onboard who were not included in the official count. The ferry also carried five crew members, exceeding its intended capacity of 90 individuals.
Mutsa Murombedzi, a local Member of Parliament, shared a video showing individuals on the shore waving at the ferry as it departed for Kariba town. Concerns were raised about the vessel’s ability to withstand rough waves on the lake.
Zimbabwean authorities initiated a rescue operation following the incident, with footage showing speedboats heading towards the overturned ferry while a helicopter provided aerial support. Lake Kariba, located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, is the largest man-made lake globally in terms of volume. The lake was formed in the late 1950s and early 1960s through the construction of a dam wall on the Zambezi River, leading to the creation of a massive water body spanning over 200 kilometers in length and up to 40 kilometers in width.
The shared ownership of Lake Kariba between Zimbabwe and Zambia is delineated by an official border running through its center.