By Chisomo Phiri
Two people identified as Fina Matieni,17, and Martha Leji,21, both from Masili Village, Traditional Authority(T/A) Maseya in Chikwawa have gone missing after a canoe they were sailing in capsized in Shire River.
According to the Deputy Public Relations Officer for Chikwawa Police Station, Chance Mfune,on 3 January 2025, the two and six others were travelling from Kaseche Village to Kavalo East Bank on a canoe operated by Mr Bernard Tensiyo, 33.
Mfune says while on the way, the canoe overturned when the operator was trying to avoid a log and ended up hitting a heap of sand and lost control.
He says the well wishers rescued the operator and some of the victims but could not trace the two.
“Following a report, Police visited the scene but efforts to trace the missing the victims proved futile.
“Meanwhile, all the survivors are in good health and the search for those missing is still underway,” explains Mfune.
Meanwhile,police in the district have appealed to the general public to take safety precautions when using water transport during this rainy season.
