20 fishermen drown…Midnight storm on Lake Bangweulu sweeps up fishing boats, drowning dozens; 13 from one family

By FRANCINA PHIRI –
TWENTY  fishermen are feared drowned, 13 believed to be from the same family, after their boats capsized on Lake Bangweulu in Samfya following heavy storms just after midnight yesterday.
Police said by morning they had managed to retrieve three bodies while two survivors were receiving treatment at Samfya hospital.
Rescue teams composed of Zambia Army Marine Corps and Zambia Police were scouring the waters for more survivors or bodies.
It is believed the fishermen were travelling to Njipi village on a fishing expedition and met their fate around 01:00hours yesterday when a storm hit the waters
Luapula Province police Commissioner Hudson Namachila confirmed the death toll in an interview yesterday.
“The boats were carrying 25 people, but so far it is believed that 20 people have died and 13 are believed to be from the same family. We are still searching for survivors and looking to retrieve any bodies we can find,” he said.