At least 15 people have died after a boat carrying dozens of people sank on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe. A rescue operation is ongoing. The BBC reports this, citing officials, writes UNN.
Details
Police said that 90 passengers and five crew members were on board the vessel on Tuesday when it capsized, although the boat may have been overloaded. Other reports indicate that more people were on board, based on the number of tickets sold.
According to police, the vessel was hit by a powerful wave and then capsized. Footage published online appears to show the hull of the boat floating in the water.
Lake Kariba, located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, is one of the world's largest artificial reservoirs. It is used for transportation and fishing, and also provides both countries with vital hydroelectric power.
Zimbabwe's Civil Protection Unit (CPU) said that, according to ticket-sale data, 114 adults were on board the vessel. It also said that an unknown number of children below the age at which a ticket is required may have been on board.
The CPU said that 77 passengers had so far been rescued, while the bodies of 15 people who died had been recovered from the water.
Mutsa Murombedzi, a local member of parliament, posted a video on X that she said showed the boat at the beginning of its journey. She added that local residents used it to travel across the lake to the town of Kariba — a trip that took about five hours.
"We have very difficult questions that require honest answers. The authorities must disclose the exact number of people who were on board," she wrote.
Police said that more details would be released later.