Hundreds of mourners gathered in Kariba on Thursday to honor at least 44 people who died when an overcrowded government ferry capsized on Lake Kariba, one of Zimbabwe’s deadliest recent maritime disasters. Families and survivors gathered for a memorial service as authorities continued efforts to recover bodies and establish exactly how the vessel, the Mbuya Nehanda, overturned in rough waters on Tuesday. The ferry was designed to carry 90 people but had at least 114 adults and five crew members aboard, with children believed to have been travelling without being included in ticket records. That put the known number of passengers and crew well above the vessel’s stated capacity. Survivors described worsening weather shortly after the ferry left Kariba. Anymore Chambate said strong winds caused water to reach the engine area and that he tried to distribute life jackets to passengers. Norah Chadenga, another survivor, said she clung to a window as the vessel went under and was eventually pulled from the water by another passenger.
The disaster has raised serious questions about passenger capacity, weather-related decision-making and safety procedures. Survivors told authorities that passengers had urged the captain to turn back as waves became increasingly dangerous. The captain was among those who died, according to reports. Initial rescue efforts saved 77 people, while 15 bodies were first recovered. The confirmed death toll subsequently rose to 44 as rescue teams recovered more victims. The exact number of people still unaccounted for has remained difficult to establish because some children were reportedly not included in passenger records. The rescue operation involved local boats, divers, the army and helicopter support. The disaster has also renewed scrutiny of safety on Lake Kariba, where previous fatal boat accidents have occurred.
Lake Kariba, which borders Zimbabwe and Zambia, is the world’s largest artificial lake by volume and is an important transport route for communities living on islands and around its shores. It also supports fishing, tourism and hydroelectric power generation. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the tragedy a national disaster and called for improvements to Zimbabwe’s maritime safety and emergency-response systems. As families mourn, authorities now face growing pressure to determine why an apparently overcrowded vessel was allowed to sail in dangerous conditions and whether existing safety regulations were properly enforced.
