Ramaphosa extends condolences after 44 die in Lake Kariba ferry tragedy

President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended condolences to Zimbabwe after 44 people died in a ferry accident on Lake Kariba on August 11. Twenty-seven individuals are still missing, with 77 passengers rescued, according to the Zimbabwe Civil Protection Unit. The overloaded ferry, carrying 114 adult passengers, five crew members, and some children, capsized due to strong waves, despite being designed for 90 people, as reported by the Civil Protection Unit.

The tragedy occurred on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, approximately 300km northeast of Harare. President Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to Zimbabwe's government and people, wishing survivors a speedy recovery and paying tribute to emergency services. Witnesses noted that the boat left in bad weather, and a distress signal was raised before the accident.

Maxton Kanhema, a witness, mentioned that the Matusado National Park provided a helicopter and boats for rescue operations, but the delayed response contributed to the loss of lives. The search for the missing continues, and police stated that further details will be released later.