The death toll from a maritime disaster on Lake Kariba has risen to 68, with police confirming on Saturday that 22 additional bodies were recovered from the water. Eighteen children were among the people killed, Zimbabwe’s police said, in what is believed to be the country’s deadliest such disaster. The vessel capsized on Tuesday along the border with Zambia, with initial investigations suggesting the boat was overloaded and struggling against heavy winds.
Officials reported that the ferry was authorized to carry 90 passengers; however, it was packed with 114 adults, five crew members, and an unspecified number of children at the time of the incident. Lt Col Joseph Muchechesi, who is leading the search operation for the boat regiment, stated that while 22 bodies were retrieved on Saturday, the team remains confident that they will successfully recover all remaining victims. The civil protection unit previously noted that 77 people were rescued on Wednesday.
Hundreds of people gathered at the district hospital in the lakeside town of Kariba to identify the bodies of their relatives and loved ones. A public memorial service was held on Thursday in the town, located nearly 280km (175 miles) north-west of Harare, shortly before burials commenced. Survivors recounted the harrowing experience, noting that they had pleaded with the driver to return to the shore after the vessel began taking on water shortly after departure. One survivor, 45-year-old Chance Siyamavhu, described how a wave pushed the sinking vessel, allowing passengers to climb onto the hull. He added that while many scrambled for lifejackets, most were unfamiliar with how to use them.
Lake Kariba, the world's largest manmade lake by volume, was created in the 1950s during British colonial rule and spans more than 200km (124 miles). The region has seen past tragedies, including a 2014 incident in the Zambian sector where 26 people, mostly children, drowned, and a 2021 event on the Zimbabwean side that claimed five lives.
Death toll now stands at 68, with 18 children among the killed after ferry capsized on Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is the world’s largest manmade lake by volume. It stretches more than 200km (124 miles) and is up to 40km (25 miles) wide in places.
