Police Investigate Overloading, Missing Revenue And Protocol Breaches After Deadly Lake Kariba Ferry Disaster
The number of people aboard the Mbuya Nehanda ferry when it sank on Lake Kariba has become a key question in the police investigation.
Authorities are now trying to establish why the official passenger records do not match the figures emerging from the rescue and recovery operation.
The ferry’s manifest listed 120 passengers before the August 11 disaster.
However, police believe more than 150 people could have been aboard, raising questions about how passengers were recorded and accounted for before departure.
Also Read: Lake Kariba Boat Disaster: Police Name Three More Victims, One Still Unidentified
Passenger Figures Raise Fresh Questions
The official manifest recorded 108 adults and 12 children.
The disaster left 97 people dead, while 77 others survived.
Police are examining these figures as they attempt to reconstruct the events leading up to the tragedy.
According ZiFM Stereo News, Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigators are particularly interested in determining who was responsible for controlling passenger numbers and verifying those who boarded.
The discrepancy has also raised questions about whether everyone who paid to travel was included in the official records.
Police Follow The Money Trail
The passenger mystery has now opened a possible financial investigation.
Police say the crew declared revenue based on 120 passengers, despite indications that the ferry may have carried more than 150 people.
Investigators want to establish whether additional passengers paid for their trips and, if so, what happened to the money.
“We therefore want to establish where the revenue from the additional passengers went,” Nyathi said.
The inquiry could therefore determine whether the discrepancy resulted from poor record-keeping or points to possible corruption.
Overloading Adds To The Investigation
Police have also established that the ferry was significantly heavier than its permitted limit.
According to Nyathi, the vessel exceeded its maximum permissible load by more than 30 tonnes.
Excess luggage reportedly contributed to the additional weight.
Investigators are now examining how the ferry was cleared to operate under those conditions and whether the required safety checks were followed.
Who Allowed The Ferry To Leave?
Beyond the passenger numbers, police are investigating possible failures in the procedures governing the vessel.
Investigators want to identify the officials responsible for passenger monitoring, ticketing and boarding controls.
They are also examining whether established protocols were ignored before the ferry entered the lake.
The findings could determine whether the tragedy involved more than an operational failure and whether there were deliberate breaches of procedure.
Captain’s Death Leaves A Critical Gap
The captain died in the disaster, leaving investigators without a key witness who could have explained the boarding process.
Nyathi said his account would have helped clarify the passenger numbers, ticketing arrangements and revenue declarations.
“Unfortunately, the captain is deceased, and his testimony would have assisted us greatly in the investigation,” he said.
Police are therefore relying on documents, financial records and information from other people involved in the ferry’s operations.
Police Vow To Reveal Findings
Investigators now face several unanswered questions: how many people were actually aboard, why some may not have appeared on the manifest, and whether additional passenger revenue was properly accounted for.
Police say they will continue examining the evidence to establish what happened before the ferry’s final journey.
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