7 feared dead in boat accident

S

even people are feared dead after going missing on Saturday morning following the capsizing of two boats they were travelling in on Lake Malawi in Nkhotakota District.

Search efforts have since been intensified.

In an interview yesterday, Nkhotakota District assistant surveyor of vessels Chikumbutso Ziyaya said his team was on the lake searching for the missing individuals who are feared dead.

He said: “We are currently in the waters hoping to find the individuals or recover their bodies.”

Ministry of Transport and Public Works director of marine Captain John Mhango said in a separate interview the accident happened about 40 metres away from the shoreline.

He said the passengers were travelling in two boats carrying over 30 people each from the shore to board the MV Ilala that had docked about 500 metres away due to the shallowness of the waters.

Said Mhango: “The boats were overloaded and it was observed they were taking in water. Other boats came to their rescue, but unfortunately they capsized. We managed to rescue some, but some are missing.”

He admitted that the root cause of the accident is lack of landing infrastructure at the port.

Mhango said the boat operators in the district, whose vessels are not licensed to ply their trade on the lake, take advantage of the lack of proper infrastructure.

He said the ministry plans to construct jetties and landing bays across the lakeshore districts, including at Usisya in Nkhata Bay, Likoma and Nkhotakota, Senga Bay in Salima and Makanjira in Mangochi.

Mhango said: “So far, one project has been approved. And that’s the K10 billion project at Likoma which we are receiving funding for.

“So there is nothing much we can do to stop the boats. If we had the infrastructure, the boats wouldn’t come in.”

The accident in Nkhotakota comes two weeks after another boat capsized on Lake Malawi between Likoma and Mozambique where six people drowned.