Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) says official information on those rescued, injured or dead following Tuesday’s boat accident on Lake Kariba will be released once the scene management process is complete.
ZRP has urged the media, the public and those at the scene to refrain from releasing casualty totals, warning that doing so risks interfering with, and distorting, the ongoing operation.
The ferry named Mbuya Nehanda, owned by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized near Long Island while crossing the lake.
The vessel was travelling from Kariba to Chalala, a crossing that normally takes about five hours, when it was hit by strong winds.
Police’s initial statement, issued by national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, put the number on board at 90 passengers and five crew members. That figure has since been disputed. Unconfirmed reports carried by ZBC suggest the ferry may have been carrying more than 160 passengers, excluding young children who reportedly did not require tickets. The same reports indicate 15 bodies have been recovered, 74 people rescued, and roughly 75 people remain unaccounted for, though these figures have not been officially confirmed by the ZRP.
A safety warning had reportedly been issued earlier that day by the Lake Captain, advising vessels not to sail due to dangerous wave conditions. Investigators are expected to examine the ferry’s maintenance history, reportedly dating back to the 1980s, along with questions over possible overloading and the adequacy of life jackets and safety procedures.
Search and rescue operations remain underway. The ZRP has not yet issued a confirmed casualty count