Two drown, three survive as Kariba boat capsizes

Walter Nyamukondiwa
Mashonaland West Bureau Chief
Two suspected fish poachers drowned and three others survived when a banana boat capsized near Zebra Island in Lake Kariba.A banana boat is an unpowered, inflatable recreational boat that is meant to be towed. Of the survivors, two managed to swim to safety while anglers racing to beat the 4 pm deadline at the just-ended Kariba International Tiger Fishing Tournament rescued one of them.

The suspected poachers are believed to have been returning to their hideout at Zebra Island –from where they venture into the lake to fish illegally –coming from Ndomo Island.

“The accident occurred around 4 pm on Friday when a small banana boat with five occupants capsized due to overloading,” said a source close to the recovery mission.

“Anglers coming from their fishing points managed to rescue one of them after finding drowning on their way to the KITFT Command Centre in Charara.”
Search teams were dispatched and information being received is that the bodies of those who drowned have since been recovered.

“So far we have managed to single out overloading and drunkness as the cause of the accident. That number of people in such a small boat was not safe for the occupants. Any shift in the sitting position could tip the boat over,” said the source.