Online Reporter
Walter Nyamukondiwa
Mashonaland West Bureau Chief
The wreckage of the MV Rida Mbuya Nehanda has been pulled from Lake Kariba and towed back to the mainland, a major step towards boosting investigations into the worst marine disaster in the country’s history.
Ninety-seven people lost their lives when the ferry capsized on the lake.
The salvage operation had been expected to take at least seven days, but the team overcame some of the anticipated challenges and completed the retrieval ahead of schedule.
New images from the operation show the battered blue vessel — its hull still bearing the marking “Mbuya Nehanda, KF 551, Kariba DDF” — being secured by a heavy-duty rig fitted with a gantry and crane system.
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Smaller civilian boats could be seen moving through the waters around the wreck as it was hauled alongside other vessels moored at the mainland.
With the wreckage now ashore, investigators are expected to move closer to establishing what caused the tragedy — a critical step for grieving families still awaiting answers.
