Tourists Recount How They Joined Rescue Operation After DDF Ferry Capsized On Lake Kariba
Two tourists who were holidaying on Lake Kariba have described how their trip suddenly turned into a rescue mission after the DDF ferry disaster.
Allan Wheeler and Jason Corbett were aboard the houseboat Shawira in Gordon’s Bay on Tuesday, 11 August, when a distress call came through.
The pair decided to join the rescue effort after their captain, Captain Collins, raised concerns about the dangerous conditions on the lake.
Also Read: President Mnangagwa Declares State Of Disaster After Mbuya Nehanda Ferry Capsizes On Lake Kariba
Strong Winds Raised Early Concerns
According to Wheeler and Corbett, the lake was already extremely rough that morning.
Captain Collins had been concerned about moving the houseboat because strong winds were blowing up the lake from the Binga side.
Weather applications they were using showed winds of about 19mph.
When the distress call came through around lunchtime, they initially believed a houseboat carrying fewer than 20 people could have encountered trouble.
They quickly prepared their private speedboat and headed towards the reported location.
The boat carried about 20 life jackets and extra fuel as they set off to help.
They Arrived To A Much Bigger Disaster
The pair said they could see the MAPS helicopter hovering over the lake as they approached the scene.
It took them roughly 20 minutes to reach the area because of the difficult conditions.
However, what they found was far more serious than they had initially expected.
The DDF ferry had capsized, leaving numerous passengers stranded on its overturned hull.
Some survivors were wearing life jackets, while others had no flotation devices.
Life rafts, life jackets and debris were scattered across the water around the ferry.
Other boats were already involved in the rescue when Wheeler and Corbett arrived.
One speedboat was carrying two rescuers and was already taking survivors from the ferry.
Corbett then moved onto another speedboat operated by a lone pilot to help with the rescue.
A National Parks boat also joined the operation, while the houseboat Lady May was assisting nearby.
Life Jackets Became An Immediate Priority
Wheeler said their first priority was helping people who had no flotation devices.
They began distributing the life jackets they had brought with them.
They were also unsure how long the overturned ferry would remain afloat.
During the operation, Wheeler noticed the MAPS helicopter directing attention towards an area away from the ferry.
He and Captain Collins followed the helicopter’s instructions, believing another survivor had been spotted.
They eventually found an unresponsive person in the water.
The man was pulled into their boat, but the rescuers could not save him.
Wheeler said they later learned the deceased person was reportedly the ferry’s captain, although they could not independently confirm this.
Baby Among Survivors Rescued
After recovering the man, Wheeler and Collins returned to the overturned ferry.
They continued handing out life jackets before taking several survivors onto their boat.
The pair estimated that they rescued between eight and nine people.
Among them was a very young baby, believed to be between six months and one year old.
The baby’s mother handed the child to the rescuers before allowing other passengers to board the boat.
Wheeler and Corbett later understood that the mother also survived after being taken aboard another rescue boat.
However, they stressed that they could not personally confirm this.
Survivors Taken To Long Island
Once their boat reached capacity, Wheeler headed towards Lady May in the hope of transferring the survivors.
However, the houseboat already had several survivors aboard and could not safely accommodate more people.
They were instead directed towards Long Island.
The journey took about 15 minutes through what Wheeler described as extremely challenging conditions.
They arrived around the same time as the National Parks boat and the speedboat Corbett had been assisting.
Corbett’s boat had rescued another five people, including two children.
The speedboat had reached capacity and could not safely take additional survivors.
Around 60 Survivors Accounted For
The National Parks team began recording the number of survivors arriving at Long Island.
More rescue boats subsequently reached the island carrying additional survivors.
Wheeler recalled seeing Fothergill arrive, together with another National Parks boat.
From their recollection, the National Parks count at that stage indicated that approximately 48 survivors were at Long Island.
Another 12 survivors were reportedly aboard Lady May.
That meant roughly 60 survivors had been accounted for across the two locations at that stage.
This figure was separate from the deceased person recovered by Wheeler and Captain Collins.
A Matusadona helicopter later landed nearby as the rescue operation continued.
Tourists Praise Rescue Efforts
Wheeler and Corbett said the footage circulating online represents only one part of a much larger rescue operation.
By the time some of the widely shared footage was recorded, several survivors had already been removed from the overturned ferry.
They said numerous people took risks in extremely dangerous conditions to help those trapped in the water.
The pair also noted that the accident occurred far from mainland harbours, making access to the scene difficult.
They believe their proximity to the disaster and access to a boat and life jackets allowed them to respond quickly.
‘Something We Will Never Forget’
The tourists said the experience had left a lasting impression on them.
They expressed sympathy for the families who lost loved ones, as well as the survivors and everyone affected by the tragedy.
They also paid tribute to the people who joined the rescue operation despite the dangerous lake conditions.
For Wheeler and Corbett, what began as a holiday on Lake Kariba became an unexpected attempt to save lives.
They said the experience is something they will never forget.
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