A ferry carrying 95 people capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, with several people feared dead, according to police and eyewitnesses. The vessel was carrying 90 passengers and five crew members when it overturned in the lake, which lies along Zimbabwe's border with Zambia. The boat was being used to transport people between the northern town of Kariba and several islands and fishing camps in the vast reservoir. The incident triggered a rescue operation involving boats, divers, a helicopter and members of the army as authorities attempted to locate and assist those who may have been trapped in the water.
Zimbabwean police confirmed that the ferry had capsized while carrying 90 passengers and five crew members. The vessel reportedly encountered strong waves while travelling across the lake, causing it to overturn. Details about the number of confirmed fatalities were not immediately available, but police and witnesses said multiple people were feared dead. Rescue teams were deployed as emergency responders and local boat operators searched the area for survivors. The scale of the incident raised concerns over the safety of passengers who were on board when the ferry encountered difficult weather conditions.
One eyewitness, Maxton Kanhema, told AFP that the ferry had departed normally in the morning despite bad weather. According to his account, conditions on the lake deteriorated as the vessel travelled, and a large wave may have struck the boat. Kanhema said the impact may have caused the vessel's engines to stop working before the ferry capsized. He described seeing a distress signal after the incident and said nearby boats responded to help those in the water. His account provided an initial indication of how the accident may have unfolded, although the exact cause remained under investigation.
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The rescue operation involved several resources from the surrounding area. Kanhema said Matusado National Park provided a helicopter to support the search and rescue effort. Larger boats were also involved, while divers from the local area and the army joined the operation. The response was focused on reaching passengers who may have survived the capsizing and searching the lake for people who remained missing. The involvement of multiple agencies and vessels reflected the difficulty of conducting a rescue operation on a large body of water following a major ferry accident.
Lake Kariba is one of Africa's largest inland bodies of water and extends along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Located more than 300 kilometres, or about 185 miles, northeast of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, the lake is an important transport and economic area for communities living around it. Boats and ferries provide access to islands, fishing camps and settlements that can otherwise be difficult to reach. The lake is also known for its vast size, and its conditions can become hazardous for vessels when strong winds and waves develop.
The ferry disaster has raised immediate concerns over the fate of the 95 people who were aboard the vessel. With several people feared dead and rescue teams continuing their efforts, authorities were working to establish the full scale of the tragedy. The reported role of strong waves and the possibility of an engine failure will likely form part of any investigation into the accident. For families and communities connected to those on board, the rescue operation remained the immediate priority as boats, divers, helicopter crews and military personnel searched Lake Kariba for survivors and those still missing.
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