Zimbabwe: Twenty-two more bodies have been recovered following a ferry accident on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, bringing the death toll to 68.
The ferry capsized in Lake Kariba, which lies along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Preliminary investigations indicate that the vessel may have been overloaded when it overturned with heavy winds. Zimbabwean police said 18 children were among those who died in the disaster, which is believed to be the country’s deadliest boat accident.
The ferry was reportedly authorised to carry 90 people but was carrying 114 adults and five crew members, along with an unspecified number of children. Most of those on board are believed to have been villagers and fish traders living in communities around Lake Kariba.
Lt Col Joseph Muchechesi, commander of the boat regiment involved in the search operation, said rescuers recovered 22 bodies during the latest operation and remained confident that the search would recover all those still missing.
Authorities said 77 people were rescued following the accident. Meanwhile, hundreds of relatives gathered at the district hospital in the lakeside town of Kariba to identify the victims. A public memorial service was held in Kariba, as families began preparing for the burial of their loved ones.
Survivors described chaotic moments after the vessel began taking on water shortly after leaving shore. Some passengers reportedly pleaded with the driver to turn back. Survivor Chance Siyamavhu, 45, said passengers struggled to use lifejackets after the boat capsized, with many unable to survive.
Lake Kariba is the world’s largest manmade lake by volume, stretching for more than 200 kilometres and reaching widths of up to 40 kilometres in some areas. Created in the 1950s after the Zambezi River was dammed, the lake displaced around 57,000 people during its construction.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over safety on the lake. In 2014, 26 people, including 24 children, drowned on the Zambian side when a boat carrying passengers to independence celebrations capsized. Five passengers also died in a boat accident on the Zimbabwean side in 2021.
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