Zimbabwean police have recovered more bodies after a ferry capsized on Lake Kariba, raising the death toll to at least 84. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing and being expanded.
According to a statement from the Zimbabwe Republic Police posted on social media platform X on Sunday, four more bodies were found, while the search for missing persons continues urgently.
The accident occurred on Tuesday when a passenger ferry capsized due to strong winds near the Zambia border. The ferry was traveling from the town of Kariba in the north of the country to fishing communities and villages in the northwest.
Authorities said the ferry had a capacity of 90 people, but at the time of the incident, it is believed to have been carrying up to 153 passengers, significantly exceeding the regulated limit. The exact number of people on board at the time of the accident has not yet been officially confirmed.
This is being described as the most serious maritime accident in Zimbabwe's history. At least 18 children are among the deceased.
Water travel is common in northern Zimbabwe due to limited transport infrastructure, a lack of public bus services, and many roads in severe disrepair.
Images shared by local media on Saturday showed hundreds of people gathered outside a local hospital to identify relatives who died in the incident.
In response to the disaster, President Emmerson Mnangagwa called the event "tragic" and said it exposed serious shortcomings that need to be addressed immediately.
