Online Reporter
Walter Nyamukondiwa and Pindani
A CASUAL conversation between two men, who were there as a passenger ferry, which capsized on Lake Kariba yesterday killing, at least, a dozen people, left the dock, appears to highlight concerns about the safety of the trip.
Among the dead was the captain of Mbuya Nehanda ferry.
The correct number of those who died could not be obtained last night as rescue operations were still underway.
There were reports last night that 15 bodies had been retrieved from Lake Kariba.
The reports said 77 people had been rescued while some people, who were on the passenger ferry, were still missing.
Twenty seven people were still unaccounted for.
The ferry capsized near Long Island in the afternoon.
A video, which was recorded just as the passenger ferry was leaving, features, at least, two men talking about the ferry.
One of the men appeared concerned by the size of the waves on Lake Kariba.
They also talked about what they called the “Binga Wave.”
Their conversation, given the tragedy which later unfolded, appeared to be prophetic.
Police confirmed the disaster in a statement they released on their official X account last night.
“The ZRP reports that a DDF boat, with 90 people and five crew members, has capsized in Lake Kariba.
“Rescue efforts are currently underway with more details on the situation to be released in due course.”
It could not be established from the police statement whether there were 90 passengers, and five crew members, on the boat or the total number of people on board was ninety.
The DDF is now officially known as the Rural Infrastructural Development Agency.
Other reports last night claimed there were 114 adult passengers on board for a ferry which has a carrying capacity of 90.
The reports claimed the 114 adult passengers were confirmed through the tickets that were sold for the passenger ferry and there were an undisclosed number of children who usually travel without tickets.
The sources confirmed police reports that there were five crew members on board.
The reports said 77 people had been rescued while some people, who were on the passenger ferry, were still missing.
“So far 77 passengers have been rescued by Matusadonha rescue teams and others,” a Civil Protection union report, which was seen by H-Metro, said.
“The rescued passengers are on Long Island on the lake.
“The CPU has mobilised boats to bring them on land and this is currently happening.
“Fifteen bodies have also been retrieved and Nyaradzo and Doves Funeral parlours have been engaged to collect these bodies for processing.
“The sub aqua unit has been airlifted to conduct search and rescue operations on the scene of the accident
“This is the report to date but you will be continuously updated as the search and rescue unfolds.”
The vessel, formerly under the Department of District Development Fund and now run by RIDA, was caught by strong winds locally known as the Binga Wave during the leg from Kariba town to Chalala Fishing Camp.
It took water through the cabin as the crew battled to keep it afloat.
Video footage taken when it moved off on this leg of its voyage shows the boat already labouring in choppy waters moments before it went under, passengers watching helplessly as the water rose around them.
The localised weather bulletin for the lake had pointed largely to calm conditions and light breezes with the high-pressure ridge extending from South Africa into Zimbabwe and Zambia.
That same bulletin, however, had flagged a strengthening South Indian Ocean anticyclone bringing a moderate gradient and light-to-moderate north-easterly to south-easterly airflow, with winds expected to touch Force 1 to Force 2 and occasionally Force 3 in the afternoon.
Mariners had been cautioned to watch for localised choppy conditions as the afternoon winds speeded up over exposed sections of the lake, precisely the conditions in which the ferry capsized.
Mashonaland West provincial Director of Local Government Services Cecilia Chitiyo confirmed the disaster while reporting to provincial authorities yesterday, giving the first detailed account of the scale of the tragedy and the response under way.
She said the rescued passengers had been ferried to safety by Matusadonha rescue teams and other responders and were being held on Long Island in the lake while the Civil Protection Unit worked to bring them ashore.
“The CPU has mobilised boats to bring them on land and this is currently happening,” she said.
On the fatalities, Chitiyo said 15 bodies had so far been retrieved from the lake.
The reports said 77 people had been rescued while some people, who were on the passenger ferry, were still missing.
The confirmed figures left about 27 people still unaccounted for, and she cautioned that the number could shift once the undisclosed number of young children below ticketing age was added in.
The Police Sub-Aqua Unit joined the Civil Protection Unit, Matusadonha teams, boat owners, an African Parks helicopter and members of the surrounding community in the resuce operaions.
Government has moved swiftly to respond to the disaster.
RIDA director-general Christopher Shumba and Mashonaland West provincial secretary Mr Josphat Jaji were among senior officials who headed to Kariba yesterday to oversee the rescue and recovery operation.
Minister of State for Masonaland West Marian Chombo is expected in Kariba this morning to assess the situation on the ground and engage affected families.
In her report, Mrs Chitiyo recommended that the accident be declared a state of disaster, a call that, if adopted, would open the door to additional national resources and coordinated support for survivors and the families of those still missing.
Search and rescue operations were continuing at the time of going to print, with authorities warning that both the death toll and the number of accounted-for survivors would change as verification continues.
Shumba confirmed that the Mbuya Nehanda ferry captain had died in the disaster, with children likely among those that could not be accounted for.
“This is a tragedy of major proportion and we have lost several people so far while others are still to be accounted for,” said Shumba.
“The boat had enough life jackets and we suspect that women with children could have lost their children when disaster struck.”
He said search efforts would be suspended overnight owing to challenges with lighting.
The search and rescue mission is expected to continue this morning.
