Overloaded ferry Mbuya Nehanda capsizes on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba, at least 15 dead and 27 missing

The capsizing

The ferry Mbuya Nehanda overturned on Lake Kariba in western Zimbabwe on Tuesday, August 11. Zimbabwe's national police service said in a post on X that the boat was carrying 90 passengers and five crew members, and that rescue efforts were under way. A police spokesperson declined to elaborate and said more information would be given later. The Civil Protection Unit later provided more precise figures based on confirmed ticket sales: at least 114 adult passengers and five crew members were on board, exceeding the vessel's carrying capacity of 90 people. An unknown number of children below ticketing age may also have been present, as they do not require tickets and were not counted in the sales records. The total number of people on board remains uncertain, though the disaster management agency said the boat was overloaded and initial findings confirmed the vessel was carrying more people than it was designed to hold.

Rescue and casualties

At least 15 people were killed and 27 remain missing, according to Zimbabwe's national disaster management agency. 77 people were rescued and taken to a small island on the lake, from where they were being transported back to the mainland by boats. Zimbabwe's national broadcaster ZBC reported that a diver team was deployed to search for the missing passengers. Local media initially reported that some passengers had been rescued, though the exact number was not yet confirmed at the time of the first reports. The police said on X that rescue operations were under way.

Rescue operations are currently under way and more detailed information about the situation will be released in due course.

The vessel and its route

The Mbuya Nehanda provides a regular connection between the city of Kariba and several islands and fishing villages on the lake. The ferry appears to be an older vessel, as seen in a video posted by MP Mutsa Murombedzi showing people on shore waving farewell to the boat as it departed. She said rural communities use the boat to travel to and from the city of Kariba, a trip that typically takes about five hours. Some people on shore expressed concern about whether the vessel could handle strong waves on the lake. Local media reported that the ferry apparently overturned due to strong waves.

Lake Kariba

Lake Kariba is situated more than 300 kilometres northwest of Harare, on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It was created starting in 1958 when the Kariba Dam was constructed on the Zambezi River. By volume, it is the world's largest man-made lake, stretching over 200 kilometres in length and up to 40 kilometres in width. The lake is used by rural communities who rely on ferries like the Mbuya Nehanda to travel between the islands, fishing villages, and the city of Kariba. The Mbuya Nehanda was one such ferry serving communities on the lake.