A passenger boat capsized on Lake Mweru on Zambia’s northern border with Congo, killing 26 people and leaving 14 missing, officials said on Wednesday.
The boat was sailing in rough weather on Monday afternoon when the accident happened, police spokesperson Brenda Muntemba said.
Police said the 36-capacity boat was loaded with 51 passengers and their luggage.
Eleven people survived the accident and were treated at a rural health center in nearby Nchelenge, a town about 600km north of the capital, Lusaka.
Rescue efforts were delayed because the incident was only reported to authorities in Nchelenge on Tuesday, officials said.
Army divers were dispatched to the scene to search for survivors and recover bodies.
”We are still searching for the missing persons, but much of our efforts are being hampered by the roughness on the lake,” Deputy Home Affairs Minister Kennedy Sakeni said on Wednesday. — Sapa-AP