Tendai Muererwa
BUHERA – The tragic search and retrieval operation at Ruti Dam in Buhera has come to an end following the recovery of the remaining three victims by Victor Kazembe aka Coach Rambo in conjunction with police sub-aqua unit.
The four family members perished when a fibreglass canoe capsized in Ruti dam as they were going to catch an early bus to Harare.
The accident occurred when the family was attempting to cross Ruti Dam from Gutu to Buhera en route to Ndyarima Business Centre, where the passengers intended to board a bus to Harare.
The first victim, four-year-old Moreblessing Zvoushe, was recovered shortly after the accident after a local fisherman spotted her body floating in the water. Her remains were taken to Murambinda Mission Hospital Mortuary for a post-mortem examination. The search then continued for Modreck Rufu, Tecla Rufu and Peacemaker Zvoushe who had been feared drowned after the canoe overturned at around 3am.
The remaining bodies were later recovered during an intensive search and retrieval operation involving renowned rescue diver Coach Rambo, working in partnership with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Changadzi Sub-Aqua Team and other emergency responders.
Sources said Modreck Rufu had been transporting his sister, Tecla and her two children across the approximately 500-metre stretch of Ruti Dam using a fibreglass canoe. Before embarking on the journey, the family had allegedly informed a local fisherman of their plans. However, tragedy struck shortly after they set off when the canoe capsized, throwing all four occupants into the water.
With the recovery of all four victims, the search operation has officially been concluded, bringing a heartbreaking end to a tragedy that has left relatives, friends and the wider community in mourning.
Manicaland province acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said the incident has once again highlighted the dangers associated with travelling across water bodies during the night without proper safety measures.
Community members have expressed sorrow over the loss of an entire family in one of the district’s most devastating recent drowning incidents.
Coach Rambo warned people who want to cross water bodies to always put on life jackets in order to avoid loss of lives in the event of a canoe capsizing like what happened at Ruti Dam.
