Nine Feared Dead After Kombi Plunges Into Ruti Dam in Buhera

By Southerton Business Times | Buhera

At least nine people are feared dead after a commuter kombi reportedly slid into Ruti Dam and became submerged in the early hours of Friday morning while passengers were boarding for a church trip to Murambinda.

The incident occurred at around 4am at the Ruti Dam wall in Buhera, Manicaland Province.

According to reports from the scene, one body was initially recovered before villagers, using ropes, reportedly retrieved a further eight bodies from the submerged vehicle. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had not officially confirmed the number of fatalities or the circumstances surrounding the incident by the time of publication.

Witnesses said the kombi had been parked near the dam while passengers and their luggage were being loaded for a journey to a church gathering in Murambinda. Preliminary reports indicate that the vehicle suddenly slid into the water before becoming completely submerged.

Some of the passengers are believed to have been trapped inside the vehicle as it sank. The exact cause of the incident has not yet been established.

Sources at the scene said local villagers immediately launched rescue efforts, using ropes to retrieve victims from the dam before emergency services arrived. A specialised sub-aqua rescue team from Changazi was reportedly expected at the scene to assist with recovery operations but had not yet arrived at the time the latest reports were received. Authorities are expected to determine whether any passengers remain trapped inside the vehicle. Emergency personnel and police were continuing search and recovery operations as investigations into the tragedy got underway.

Police had not yet released an official statement confirming the number of deaths, the identities of the victims or the circumstances leading to the incident. Southerton Business Times understands that investigations will focus on how the vehicle came to slide into the dam while stationary. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and emergency services.

Ruti Dam accident