Zimbabwe Boat Tragedy: At Least 15 Dead, 27 Missing After Kariba Lake Capsizes

At least 15 people have died and 27 others are missing after a boat capsized in Zimbabwe’s Kariba Lake, according to the country’s National Disaster Management Agency. The agency said the boat was designed to carry 90 people but had more passengers on board than its stated capacity. Authorities said 77 people have so far been rescued and taken to a small island in the lake. Boats are being sent to bring the rescued passengers back from the island, while search and rescue operations continue for those still missing. Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster, ZBC, released video footage showing several high-speed boats heading towards the overturned vessel. A helicopter could also be seen circling above the accident site as rescue efforts continued. According to Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit, ticket-sale records indicated that 114 passengers and five crew members were on board the boat. Officials also said there could have been children on the vessel who did not require tickets. The figures indicate that the number of people aboard the boat may have been significantly higher than its official capacity, although the authorities have not confirmed the exact total number of people on board. Kariba Lake is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia. The official border between the two countries runs through the middle of the lake.