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Five people are feared dead after a canoe they they were sailing on Shire River in Chikwawa District capsized.
The accident occurred on 2 November, 2021 at Jey (Dzilozo) dock.
People boarded the canoe that was operated by a 12 year old boy and at a distance the operating stick slipped off from his hand and that made him to jump into the water to get it; this prompted other people also to come out from the boat and later it capsized.
Meanwhile two bodies have been found and retrived from the river while the other three went on missing.
The deceased have been identified as Falesi Gilbert, 42, of Tizola village and her two-year old son Gift Yohane, of Limpu Village Traditional Authority Lundu in Chikwawa District.
After the incident an angry mob assaulted the canoe operator to death and set ablaze his body.
He is identified as Isaac Matchiti, 12, of Chikuse village Traditional Authority Makhuwira in Chikwawa District.
Meanwhile, a search for the other bodies is still under way.
Police condemn the behaviour that was shown by the angry villagers who killed the operator after the incident. Investigations have been instituted to arrest the perpetrators.