A 59-year-old businessman has gone missing on Lake Malawi after he fell from a moving boat into the water at Chizumulu Island in Likoma District.

According to Likoma Police Station Public Relations Officer Sergeant Enala Kalua, the incident happened on Wednesday when the man identified as Ephraim Harold boarded Makutuwima boat.

“Report indicates that on the material day, Harold boarded Makutuwima boat from Likoma heading towards Nkhata Bay direction. He went missing in Lake Malawi after falling into the water from the boat he was sailing in on September 13, 2023 at Chizumulu Island in the district.

“Peter Malata who was operating the boat heard a voice shouting from one of the passengers notifying that the other passenger had slipped from the boat into the water,” Kalua said.

She said the boat operator could see the man from far, swimming towards the boat but efforts made to rescue the man were in vain.

Kalua said the matter was later reported at Chizumulu Police Unit who later instituted a search operation together with community members.

The original home of the missing person is not yet known, according to the Kalua.