In brief
A ferry on Lake Kariba, overloaded with passengers and cargo, capsized after a strong wave, killing 93 people and making it Zimbabwe’s most devastating transport disaster. The tragedy began a week ago with 168 individuals aboard, far exceeding the ferry’s 90-passenger capacity. President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster and divers continue to recover bodies. Provincial Affairs Minister Marian Chombo confirmed 67 people were rescued but identified only 83 victims, including 39 children, while many bodies remain unidentified. Survivors and local officials cited overcrowding, lack of life jackets, and disregard for safety warnings as key factors in the disaster. Recovery efforts see bodies being found drifting toward Zambia, with DNA identification urgent.
The death toll from a ferry disaster on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba has risen to 93, making it the country's deadliest transport disaster, according to the state‑run Herald newspaper.
The ferry, designed to carry 90 passengers, carried an estimated 168 people when it was struck by a strong wave and overturned a week ago.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster following the accident, and search and recovery efforts are continuing by divers.
Lake Kariba, a man‑made reservoir on the Zambia‑Zimbabwe border, is one of the world’s largest and provides transport, fishing, and hydroelectric power to both countries.
The death toll rose from 44 immediately after the accident to 84 over the weekend, according to police, before nine more bodies were found by divers, bringing the total to 93.
Recovered bodies are now being taken further from the accident site, with some drifting toward Zambia.
Provincial Affairs Minister Marian Chombo said 67 people were rescued after the sinking.
She added that identifying the recovered bodies is difficult, with relatives relying on clothing and items to recognise their loved ones, and that DNA may soon be needed for identification.
Police have identified 83 victims, 39 of whom were children.
The ferry was a vital and inexpensive transport link for rural communities, carrying parents taking their children home for the school holidays and traders.
A survivor in her 40s told AFP that the ferry was overloaded with goods, and passengers had raised concerns about rough conditions. “The life jackets were buried under the luggage, and not more than 30 people managed to get them,” said Itayi Marumisa, a trader from Mola village.
She added, “Children were screaming and most of the passengers were vomiting, but the captain did not seem to care.”
Local councillor Tight Bhusumani of Mola expressed the community’s distress, noting that children lost both parents were left as the only surviving members of their families.
The councillor, who lost a child in the accident, said other families were still awaiting news of those believed to have been on the ferry.
