At least 15 people have lost their lives and another 27 are still missing after a ferry with excess passengers capsized the night before on Lake Kariba, in Zimbabwe. The incident has led the president of the African country, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to declare a "state of disaster."
"At the time of the incident, the vessel was carrying 119 people, 114 adult passengers and five crew members, in addition to an undetermined number of children who are believed to have also been on board. According to the latest update, 77 people have been rescued and 15 deaths have been confirmed," the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works stated in a statement.
The boat, which covered the route between Kariba and Chalala, capsized after being hit by a strong wave while sailing near Long Island. At least 27 occupants remain unlocated as search and rescue operations continue in the area of the shipwreck.
The Executive, through the Department of Civil Protection, has activated the national search and rescue device and has sent a helicopter to the area. In addition, it has declared a "state of disaster" under Article 27 of the Civil Protection Act.
"The operation is being carried out in close collaboration with the Underwater Unit of the Police, the Zimbabwe National Police, the Army Boat Squadron, local authorities, and other relevant stakeholders," the ministry indicated.
The permanent secretary of Provincial Affairs and Decentralization of the province of Mashonaland West, Josphat Jaji, detailed that 114 tickets had been issued for the trip, in addition to the five crew members, despite the maximum authorized capacity of the vessel being 90 people.
Lake Kariba is considered the largest artificial lake and reservoir in the world by volume. It is located on the Zambezi River, on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. In 2014, 26 people, 24 of them minors, drowned in the Zambian part of the lake after the vessel they were traveling in sank.