Built as a hydrofoil by Cantiere Navale Torro. Messina, Italy for the Lake Shipping Co., Salisbury, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
She was built for the service between Kariba and Msuna on the Kariba Lake a distance of about 281 km; from Msuna it is about 100 km to the Victoria waterfalls.
The Kariba Lake is a part of the Zambia River.
The SEAFLIGHT was transported from Italy in sections to Kariba and there assembled.
12 May 1972 commissioned.
Dim. 18.6 x 4.68 x 2.60m. (draught). Empty weight 20.65 ton, loaded 27.3 ton.
Could carry 54 passengers seated in aircraft-type seats, and when needed, 6 more were carried, seated in the bar.
Powered by two Fiat Carrare diesels, each 750hp, maximum speed 38 knots, service speed 34 knots.
Bunker capacity 1.500 liters, sufficient for 10 hour sailing.
She had 5 watertight compartments and a double hull under the passenger accommodation.
For lifesaving she carried some inflatable live rafts.
Somewhere I was reading that she crashed, and shipped back to Italy, and written off as a total loss, but I cannot find it back.
Rhodesia 1970 6c sg 443b
Source: Mijn Stokpaardje (a Dutch Philatelic magazine