Seventeen people are feared dead after a canoe they were sailing in capsized at on Rusa River in Mchinji District during Wednesday morning.

Public Relations Officer for Mchinji Police Limbani Mpinganjira has confirmed the development on Thursday morning, saying six others have been rescued.

Mpinganjira said the incident happened around Chinyonga Village in the area of Traditional Authority Dambe in the district.

Mpinganjira also said that on this particular morning, 22 people wanted to cross to the other side of the river to attend a funeral ceremony using the canoe.

In the course of crossing the river, the canoe subsided due to overloading which resulted to the loss of balance of the canoe and ended up capsizing.

According to Mpinganjira, well-wishers managed to rescue five adults and a child who were rushed to Our Lady Mission Hospital at Kapiri where they were treated as out-patients.

Mpinganjira said a search by Police and the office of the District Commissioner is underway to find those who are still missing.