Key facts
- Fifteen bodies have been recovered from Lake Kariba after a passenger ferry capsized.
- At least 27 people, including children, remain missing.
- The ferry, named Mbuya Nehanda, was carrying passengers and goods from Kariba to Chalala Fishing Camp.
- The exact number of people on board is unclear, with estimates ranging from 90 passengers plus crew to over 160 people.
- Rescue operations are ongoing, involving police, army divers, and the Civil Protection Unit.
Fifteen bodies have been recovered from Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe following the capsizing of a passenger ferry, the Mbuya Nehanda, on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities are still searching for survivors, with at least 27 people, including young children, reported missing.
The exact number of individuals on board the ferry remains uncertain. Initial police reports stated 90 passengers and five crew members, but a local official cited by The Herald indicated 114 tickets were issued. Further complicating the manifest, witnesses and survivors suggest significantly more people, possibly up to 164, were on board, as children under four and individuals over 60 may not have required tickets. The ferry was carrying passengers and goods from Kariba to Chalala Fishing Camp when it capsized near Long Island amid high waves.
Rescue efforts are being conducted by the police, army divers, the Civil Protection Unit, and other teams. Bodies recovered have been brought to Andorra Harbour, with funeral parlours engaged for processing. Families have gathered at the harbour awaiting news. The uncertainty surrounding the passenger count heightens fears that the number of missing could be higher than initially reported.