The death toll from Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba ferry disaster has risen to 68 after rescue teams recovered 22 additional bodies from the lake, with 18 children confirmed among the victims.
The overloaded ferry capsized on August 11 on Lake Kariba, one of Africa’s largest man-made reservoirs. Initial reports put the death toll at 15 with 27 people missing, but the figure climbed sharply to 44 by the following day and reached 68 by Saturday as divers and recovery teams continued searching the waters.
Survivors Recount Pleas to Turn Back
Survivors of the disaster described pleading with the crew to turn back before the vessel capsized. According to accounts reported by the Associated Press, passengers warned that the ferry was dangerously overloaded before it overturned. The vessel was carrying far more passengers than its rated capacity when it went down.
The disaster has exposed chronic safety failures on Lake Kariba, where overcrowded ferries remain a common mode of transport connecting communities on the Zimbabwean and Zambian shores. Lake Kariba stretches along the border between the two countries and serves as a critical transport corridor for rural populations with few alternative routes.
Search Operations Continue
Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit has led the search and recovery effort, deploying divers and boats across the lake. Authorities have not confirmed whether any passengers remain unaccounted for beyond the 68 confirmed dead. The ferry’s passenger manifest has not been made public, complicating efforts to establish the total number of people on board.
The disaster has drawn renewed calls from safety advocates for stricter regulation of ferry operations on Lake Kariba, where overcrowding and poor maintenance have long been flagged as risks. Zimbabwe’s government has faced criticism for insufficient oversight of commercial boat operators on the lake.
According to Al Jazeera, initial investigations pointed to overloading as the primary cause of the capsizing. The AP reported that survivors recounted the crew ignoring warnings about the vessel’s weight.
The incident is one of the deadliest maritime disasters in southern Africa in recent years. The death toll is expected to rise further as search operations continue and authorities work to identify the recovered bodies.
Sources: The Guardian; Associated Press; Al Jazeera; PBS NewsHour
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