Hundreds of grieving relatives and survivors gathered in northern Zimbabwe on Thursday for a memorial service to honour at least 44 people who died when a passenger ferry capsised on Lake Kariba.
The memorial in Kariba brought together families of the victims and survivors, some of whom recounted harrowing experiences as they fought for their lives after the vessel overturned in rough waters.
Among the survivors was Anymore Chambate, who said strong winds caused water to enter the ferry’s engine compartment, leaving only one engine operational as the vessel began to sink.
“I tried to give life jackets to people on the ferry and I managed to only give not more than ten,” Chambate recalled.
Another survivor, Norah Chadenga, described clinging desperately to a window as the ferry went under.
Chadenga, who said she could not swim, recounted struggling in the water and repeatedly going under before a young man eventually pulled her to safety.
The ferry was carrying 114 adult passengers and five crew members when the disaster occurred, exceeding its stated capacity of 90 passengers. The number of children aboard the vessel remained unclear.
According to survivors, some passengers had urged the ferry operator to turn back after weather conditions deteriorated, but the vessel continued its journey across the lake.
Witnesses said bodies and debris could be seen floating in the water after the ferry overturned.
The Civil Protection Unit initially reported that 77 people had been rescued and 15 bodies recovered. Police later increased the confirmed death toll to 44 as rescue and recovery operations continued.
The search operation involved members of the army, divers, local boat operators and a helicopter, with teams scouring the waters around the wreckage for survivors and victims.
The ferry provided an important transport link between the lakeside town of Kariba and surrounding islands and fishing communities, carrying villagers, traders and other passengers across Lake Kariba, one of Africa’s largest reservoirs.
The disaster is among the deadliest passenger boat accidents recorded on Lake Kariba, which stretches along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the incident a national tragedy and called for urgent improvements to the country’s maritime safety and rescue capabilities.
“This tragedy has exposed serious deficiencies in our maritime capabilities,” Mnangagwa said, warning that recreational and transport sites must not become “death traps”.
As the bereaved families begin to lay their loved ones to rest, the disaster is expected to raise serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the ferry’s departure and voyage.
Particular attention is likely to focus on why the vessel continued sailing despite deteriorating weather conditions, whether it was adequately equipped with life-saving and emergency equipment, and whether existing maritime safety regulations were properly enforced.
The tragedy has also renewed calls for stronger safety standards, improved emergency response systems and stricter enforcement of passenger limits to prevent a recurrence of the disaster on Lake Kariba and other waterways.
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