A tragic boating accident occurred in the Bangweulu wetlands of Lunga district, leaving a Zambia Army officer feared dead while three toddlers and six civil servants narrowly escaped with their lives.
The incident happened yesterday around 10:00 hours at the Chipeni area on Lake Bangweulu. The group, comprising five teachers, one health worker, two toddlers, and three other individuals, was traveling back to Lunga district after the holidays in preparation for the reopening of schools.
Lunga District Commissioner Mathews Mwewa confirmed the accident, explaining that the survivors were rescued by sailors traveling in another boat heading in the same direction.
“The officers started off from Mpanta, near the source of the Luapula River, going to Lunga to attend to their services. As you are aware, those working in education, after the closing of schools, are given the chance to go home to see their families due to the unique nature of this district,” Mr. Mwewa said.
Mr. Mwewa identified the missing Zambia Army officer as Musosha Jasper, whose body has yet to be retrieved. A search operation has been launched to locate his remains, but efforts thus far have been unsuccessful.
“The search team has not managed to retrieve the body after a long search, which will continue,” Mr. Mwewa stated.
The accident underscores the risks faced by residents and workers traveling across the expansive waterways of Lunga district, a region known for its challenging terrain and reliance on boats for transportation. Authorities have urged travelers to prioritize safety measures to avoid similar tragedies.
Sounds like they did not have on life jackets. The latter is supposed to be mandatory. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.
The government should priotise procurement of better bigger boats and life jackets to safeguard human lives.May the souls of our beloved ones rest in peace
Life jackets are a matter for the boat’s owners but ought to be mandatory and enforced by the marine department of the Ministry of Transport & Logistics. Starting point is to have habour masters to take control and inspect all public transport boats for compliance. But this is not happening. We now another Zambian family in grief after an avoidable death.
I was taught Accidents dont just happen they are caused
nevertheless still sad