Ferry overturns in Zimbabwe lake killing at least 44

Search and rescue operations continued Wednesday after a govt passenger ferry capsized on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba, claiming at least 44 lives, authorities said. A witness said that after the ferry sank in rough weather Tuesday, bodies could be seen in the water as rescuers tried to reach the vessel, which was overturned.Passengers had pleaded with the driver to turn back in the rough waters, local media quoted a survivor as saying. The civil protection unit said overnight that 77 people had been rescued. The vessel transports people between the northern town of Kariba and islands and fishing villages around the vast stretch of water, the largest man-made lake in the world. It provided a vital link for villagers and traders from rural areas to the Kariba commercial hub.

AFP