Zimbabwe rescues Zambian patrol boat in distress

A boat carrying a Zambian anti-fish poaching patrol of two police officers and five Government employees from the Fisheries Department on Friday had to seek help at Mlibizi in Zimbabwe at the southern shore of Lake Kariba after that boat suffered a spark plug failure.

Unfortunately a minor communication failure meant that one of the armed Zambians in civilian clothes was seen at Mlibizi Hotel before ZimParks heard their Zambian colleagues' call for assistance, so ZimParks and  police officers briefly held the Zambian team while everything was sorted out between the two parks teams who normally co-operate.

The Zambian team was on patrol along Lake Kariba to combat fish poaching from Mlibizi Fly Gate to Deka Drum area.

That operation started on December 20 and is due to end on February 28 next year.

The group told the Zimbabwean police that they were part of a joint operation in Zambia which included wildlife authorities and the Zambian police offering security.

It was during this operation that the boat they were using developed a mechanical fault, spark plug failure, leading them to seek help from ZimParks on the Zimbabwean side, ZimParks said.

The Zimbabwean authorities quickly checked with their Zambian colleagues across the lake, and then helped them leave.

"The Government of Zimbabwe takes this opportunity to reaffirm its readiness to work closely with the Government of the Republic of Zambia to continue to engage in joint initiatives to coordinate activities along the common border for mutual benefit. It is therefore, imperative that all mechanisms at the disposal of our two friendly countries be used, including the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation," ZimParks said yesterday.