A weekend fishing trip turned into a horrifying tragedy as three individuals fell victim to crocodile attacks at the Chinhandowa, Gatche Gatche fishing camp.
The victims have been identified as Shameton Sibanda (35) from Lanlolly village, Bayton Chikomo (29) from Kaponda village, and George Mawandiwa (38) from Mahombekombe in Kariba.
According to a statement by national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the first incident occurred on Saturday when Sibanda was dragged into the water by a crocodile while fishing on Lake Kariba in a dinghy. A search party, led by George Mawandiwa and other fishermen, was organized to locate Sibanda. Tragically, during the search, another crocodile emerged and seized Mawandiwa, pulling him beneath the water. Despite the search team’s efforts, only Mawandiwa’s lifeless body was recovered.
The following day, the search team successfully retrieved Sibanda’s remains. The bodies of the victims were transported to Kariba District Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
In a separate incident on Sunday, Chikomo was attacked by a crocodile while casting nets from his dinghy on the lake. The search party managed to locate Chikomo’s remains after shooting and killing the crocodile responsible for the attack. The recovered body parts were taken to the mortuary at Kariba District Hospital for further examination.
The tragic incidents have highlighted the inherent dangers faced by fishermen and individuals residing near crocodile habitats. Authorities are urging caution and increased awareness to prevent further tragedies.
