Zimbabwe: Ferry Captain Wholly to Blame for Lake Kariba Disaster - Says Govt in Defence of 41-Year-Old Boat

What the report says

Zimbabwe’s government has blamed the captain of the Mbuya Nehanda ferry for the Lake Kariba tragedy that killed at least 94 people, according to reporting distributed by AllAfrica from New Zimbabwe. Local Government minister Daniel Garwe said at a post-cabinet briefing that the skipper, Sign Patsikadova, ignored weather warnings and sailed despite advice from the Meteorological Department not to do so.

The boat, a government-owned 90-seater operated through the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency, capsized on August 11 while carrying more than 180 people along with luggage and cargo, including goats, fuel drums and other goods headed for fishing communities in Binga. Garwe said the vessel was carrying well beyond its intended capacity and described the disaster as the result of negligence and human error rather than a structural failure.

Authorities said the ferry had a fitness certificate and was considered certified by the Transport Ministry, though formal investigations have now begun and include checks on the vessel’s remains. As of the briefing, officials said 93 people had died, 77 had been rescued and seven families were still seeking identification of relatives, with police later recovering another body. The government has declared the crash a national disaster, underscoring its scale and the pressure for answers about safety standards on Lake Kariba.