Eight out of the 38 people that are feared dead after their boat capsized on Lake Mweru, managed to swim to safety into the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.
Police Spokesperson Bdandula Siamana confirmed this to ZNBC news in Lusaka this evening. Ms Siamana said the Eight managed to swim into the DRC because the coast was nearer than that on the Zambian side.
Meanwhile, one body has been retrieved from Lake Mweru in Nchelenge district.
Luapula Province Minister Besa Chimbaka says only one body of the 38 was retrieved on Wednesday. Mr Chimbaka told ZNBC News that there are speculations that some fishermen could have been trapped in the boat and that divers are required to retrieve the bodies.
He however, says that the search for bodies has continued. Forty two people were fishing on the lake, when the boat capsized.
ZNBC
Could local governments mandate that every fisherman wears a life preserver when they go out on the water? Too many lives have been lost. Fishermen make money, they could come up at least each afford to purchase a life jacket. Diaporan entrepreneurs supply these jackets asap.
Bear my ignorance, where i come from there are no rivers. I’m wondering 42 people fishing using one boat?
Results of under investment, are we waiting for Divers to come from Lusaka? We are suppose to have a rescue team in each district, by this time they could have responded to this tragedy.
Do we even have a rescue helicopter apart from the ones Zambia use for ferrying MMD politicians around for political campaigns?
SAD INDEED FOR THESE DEATHS!!!!
Ba LT, if 8 people managed to swim and survived, then it must be 1 body out of 30 and not 38 bodies was retrieved.
#2 my thinking exactyl! Is it a cmmercial boat of some sort for it to carry so many pipo
Nubian 1//
You have a point. I am sure The Marine Section of Zambia Police must take full responsibility to ensure no one goes on waters without a Life Jacket. These jackets are actually avalaible and affordable in Zambia. Fishermen make substantial income, they can afford. We cannot continue to lose our people due to absence of controls.
#4, there were 42 altogether who were in the boat, 8 swam to safety and 38 were unaccounted for till 1 body was recovered.
No 2, Sam – I guess it was a very big boat, and not a canoe
People what is 38 + 8 am shocked!
It is more like of the 42 people fishing, 38 were in one boat and the other 4 were is a separate boat or boats. Otherwise the numbers dont add up. Infact the story doesnt state that all 42 were on the said boat. So some simple arithmetic could show that since 8 survived after swimming and 1 body was recovered, there must be 29 bodies which were still missing at the time the story was compiled and 4 spectators who must have raised the alarm.