Victoria Falls – A multi-agency search operation is underway on the Zambezi River after a baptism ceremony turned tragic on Saturday morning when two members of an apostolic sect were reportedly swept away by the powerful currents of the Zambezi River at Rapid Number 5, near Victoria Falls. Preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased were pastors of the Followers of Christ Church who were conducting a baptism ceremony.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, as a larger group of congregants gathered for the religious ritual. According to sources privy to the tragedy, the two leaders were the ones who entered the river first, where they were immediately swept away by the treacherous currents.
The search is co-ordinated by the police and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), which has mobilised significant resources to carry out the operation. A helicopter, dispatched from a local tour operator, is conducting aerial sweeps of the treacherous gorge area downstream. The operation also involves the Rafters Association of Zimbabwe and other local tour operators, who are providing expert knowledge of the river’s volatile currents and terrain. The combined efforts aim to cover the extensive and dangerous stretch of water where the individuals may be located. The families of the missing have been notified.
While authorities have said that full details are still being gathered, preliminary reports indicate that the individuals were likely conducting a religious baptism ritual at the rapid when they were overpowered by the water. According to sources, the police were on their way to the scene. The identities of the two church members have not yet been released.
The Zambezi River, especially along the rapids below the Falls, is known for its deceptive and deadly strength, even during periods of lower water.
This latest incident underscores the dangers of the Zambezi River, particularly in the rapids below Victoria Falls. Last week a 49-year-old tourist from the United States died after plunging 100 metres from the knife edge bridge at the Victoria Falls Bridge on the Zambian side. The tourist was reportedly seen consuming alcoholic beverages before he vanished, prompting officials from the hotel he was checked into to lodge a police report that initiated a search leading to the discovery of his lifeless body on a rocky section of the river. Christopher Erik Daniel Gibbs, was retrieved from the same gorge after falling to his death from the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls.
In May 2018, Yvonne Dube of Chinotimba suburb who was 29 years old at the time, survived death by a whisker after she was swept away by the crocodile infested Zambezi River currents during cleansing rituals. According to the police Yvonne Dube (29) of Chinotimba suburb together with her cousin Silence Siziba (36) of Nketa surburb in Bulawayo had visited the Mosi Oa Tunya rainforest at around 4pm on to bathe in the river.
Officer Commanding Victoria Falls district chief superintendent, Tadeus Madondo said: “They went in the evening and entered the falls about 200 meters from the main entry. According to Siziba, they had gone to take a bath and as they were still bathing, Dube suddenly lost a grip and was swept by the river for a distance of above 200 meters,”
“Her cousin Siziba then went to report to Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) rangers who were guarding the rainforest.
When launched a search and found her clinging to a tree in the river and they rescued her with a rope. She could not speak.”
However, sources said the cousins were conducting a cleansing ritual and Dube got possessed.
“At the scene there were white garments and other small containers and we were told that they had come for cleansing and as they were bathing in the river, Dube got possessed and disappeared in water only to be found few minutes after panicking and could hardly breathe and had sustained many bruises all over the body.”
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