Man Feared Dead After Jumping Off Silverstone Boat Into Lake Kariba In Suspected Suicide

A man is feared dead after reportedly jumping off the Silverstone Boat into Lake Kariba at Musamba Fishing Camp in Nyaminyami Ward 3.

The man is suspected to have committed suicide.

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon while the vessel was travelling from Kariba to Chalala. The boat had stopped at the fishing camp to offload passengers and cargo when other travellers raised the alarm that a man had entered the water.

According to journalist Maxton Kanhema, Police Sub-Aqua Unit divers have since joined efforts to locate him, but the search had not yielded results by the time of publication.

Also Read: Lake Kariba Tragedy: Woman Dies After Crocodile Attacks Her While Fishing

Silverstone Director Confirms Man Jumped Into Lake

Silverstone director Hilary, who was part of the crew aboard the vessel, confirmed the incident and said they were alerted by fellow passengers.

He revealed that the crew immediately attempted to search the surrounding waters using speedboats but could not locate the missing passenger.

Hilary also said the man had not been drinking alcohol while aboard the boat before the incident.

The passenger’s identity is being withheld until his close relatives have been formally notified.

Police Divers Join Search Operation

The Police Sub-Aqua Unit has been deployed to Musamba Fishing Camp to assist with efforts to find the missing man.

Divers were seen heading to the area as the search operation got underway.

It remains unclear what prompted the passenger to jump into the lake. Although the incident has been described as a suspected suicide, the circumstances surrounding it have not yet been fully established.

Incident Comes Weeks After Lake Kariba Boat Services Resumed

The incident comes shortly after passenger boat operations on Lake Kariba resumed following a suspension that lasted nearly two months.

Services had been halted between 11 August and 5 October 2026 after the Mbuya Nehanda KF 551, operated by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized near Long Island on 11 August.

The disaster claimed at least 97 lives, while 77 people survived. President Emmerson Mnangagwa subsequently declared it a national disaster.

Silverstone Boat began operating during the first week of October 2026 after the cleansing of Lake Kariba by Chief Mola.

The latest incident has once again drawn attention to safety concerns surrounding passenger transport on the lake as operators resume services.

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