A district official has been charged with culpable homicide after the Lake Kariba ferry disaster claimed 97 lives in Zimbabwe’s deadliest recorded maritime accident. Ignatius Chiome, 49, the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) district coordinator, appeared in court and was remanded in custody while investigations continue.
The RIDA-operated Mbuya Nehanda ferry was travelling from Kariba to Chalala when it capsized on August 11 after encountering rough conditions on the lake. Police, local boat operators and other emergency teams joined a large-scale search-and-rescue operation following the disaster.
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Authorities later reported that the vessel had been carrying far more passengers than its authorised capacity of 90.
