Harare, Aug 2026 : The death toll from Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba ferry disaster has risen to 72 after authorities recovered 25 bodies on Saturday, as rescue teams continued searching the vast lake for passengers still missing following the country’s deadliest known boat accident.
The overloaded passenger ferry, operated by the government’s Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized in rough waters on Tuesday while travelling across Lake Kariba, which stretches along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Police said three additional bodies were recovered late Saturday, taking the total number of confirmed deaths to 72.
“The Kariba RIDA boat accident death toll is now 72 after the recovery of three more bodies late on the 15th of August 2026,” Zimbabwean police said in a statement.
Authorities said identification of the bodies recovered during the latest search operations was underway. Earlier on Saturday, police had raised the death toll to 68 following the recovery of 22 bodies.
The ferry was reportedly carrying significantly more passengers than its authorised capacity when it overturned. Officials said the vessel was approved to carry 90 people but had 114 adults and five crew members on board, in addition to an unspecified number of children.
The Civil Protection Unit said 77 people had been rescued following the accident, although the continuing recovery operation suggests that many passengers remain unaccounted for.
Most of those travelling aboard the vessel were reportedly villagers and fish traders living in communities around Lake Kariba, making the disaster particularly devastating for local families whose livelihoods are closely connected to the lake.
Families Gather to Identify Victims
Hundreds of grieving relatives gathered at the district hospital in the lakeside town of Kariba on Saturday to identify recovered bodies.
Local media reports showed long queues of families waiting outside the hospital as authorities worked to identify the victims and provide information to relatives.
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Muchechesi, commander of the boat regiment involved in the recovery operation, said teams had recovered 22 bodies during the day and remained determined to locate the remaining victims.
“We are confident that we will manage to retrieve all the bodies,” Muchechesi said.
He explained that the recovery operation was taking time because the bodies were slow to rise to the surface in the cold winter conditions.
The disaster has triggered widespread mourning in Kariba and surrounding communities. An emotional public memorial service was held in the town on Thursday, with burial ceremonies beginning afterward for victims whose remains had been identified.
Survivors Describe Final Moments
Survivors have provided harrowing accounts of the ferry’s final moments, saying the vessel began taking on water shortly after leaving shore.
Some passengers reportedly pleaded with the operator to turn the boat around as the situation deteriorated, but the vessel eventually capsized in the turbulent waters.
One survivor, 45-year-old Chance Siyamavhu, recalled watching helplessly as passengers struggled to escape.
He said a wave pushed the sinking vessel in a way that allowed him and others to climb onto it and survive.
Siyamavhu said passengers scrambled for life jackets after the boat overturned but many were unfamiliar with how to use them.
He also described the devastating personal loss suffered during the accident, saying his best friend and seven relatives were among those who died.
“Most people could not make it,” he said.
The accounts have intensified questions over the ferry’s passenger load, safety procedures and emergency preparedness. The fact that the vessel was reportedly carrying substantially more people than its authorised capacity is expected to form an important part of any investigation into the accident.
Lake Kariba is one of Africa’s most important inland waterways and straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Created by the construction of the Kariba Dam, it is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume.
The disaster has therefore raised concerns about safety standards for passenger vessels operating on the lake, particularly those serving remote communities that depend heavily on water transport.
As recovery teams continue their work, families remain hopeful of receiving news about missing relatives and recovering their remains.
Authorities have yet to announce the final number of people believed to have been aboard the ferry because the number of children on board remains unclear. The continuing identification process and search operation are expected to provide a clearer picture of the total number of victims.
With the death toll already at 72, the Lake Kariba disaster has emerged as a national tragedy, leaving communities around the lake mourning dozens of lives lost in a rare but devastating maritime accident.
(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
