Zimbabwe Ferry Tragedy: Death Toll Reaches 68 After More Bodies Recovered
Harare, August 15: The death toll from the ferry capsizing on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba this week has risen to 68, police said on Saturday, after 22 more bodies were recovered from the water.
The passenger ferry, operated by the government's Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), overturned on Tuesday in choppy conditions on the lake, which straddles the border with Zambia. The vessel was reportedly overloaded at the time of the accident.
In a short statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police advised citizens and stakeholders that the death toll in the Kariba RIDA boat accident now stood at 68 following the recovery of additional bodies. No further details were provided, but most passengers were villagers and fish traders living around the lake.
Officials have said the boat was authorised to carry 90 people, but was packed with 114 adults, five crew members, and an unspecified number of children. The Civil Protection Unit said on Wednesday that 77 people had been rescued.
Dozens of mourners gathered for an emotional service on Thursday in the lakeside town of Kariba, about 400 kilometres west of the capital Harare, before the bodies were buried. Survivors recounted how they pleaded with the ferry driver to turn back as the vessel began taking on water soon after departure in rough conditions.
Local residents told AFP that accidents of this kind were rare on the lake. Lake Kariba is the world's largest man-made lake by volume and serves as a vital resource for communities on both the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides.
The tragedy has raised questions about safety regulations and enforcement on inland waterways. Authorities have promised a full investigation into the incident, including the circumstances that allowed the ferry to operate beyond its stated capacity.
