LIKOMA, Malawi, April 16- At least 11 people, including a child, have been confirmed dead after a boat capsized early Saturday near Likoma, an island district on Lake Malawi, local authorities said. Commissioner for the Island Abubakar Nkhoma told local media that the privately owned boat was carrying more than 30 passengers when it overturned at a location known as Jalo. Search and rescue operations began immediately after the accident was reported. According to Nkhoma, 21 passengers were rescued, while 11 bodies, including that of a child, were recovered by late Saturday afternoon. The boat is reported to have capsized after it was hit by a wave, causing passengers to shift to one side and destabilize the vessel. The tragedy has triggered widespread criticism of authorities, with many accusing them of negligence and poor enforcement of lake transport regulations. Malawian Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara acknowledged challenges in regulatory enforcement, admitting that the vessel involved was not authorized to carry passengers. Malawi‘s most dependable lake transport vessel, the 76-year-old MV Ilala — with a capacity of up to 360 passengers and 100 tons of freight — is currently undergoing servicing. Its temporary absence has left the MV Chilembwe, a much smaller vessel with a capacity of 120 passengers and 20 tons of freight, as the only available means of lake transport. The lack of alternatives has put pressure on lake transport services, with high demand for travel to and from various ports along Lake Malawi. The full round-trip route for lake transport in Malawi stretches approximately 480 km — from Monkey Bay in Mangochi District to Chilumba in Karonga — and back.
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