At least 44 people have died after an overcrowded ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, with rescue teams continuing to search the vast lake for survivors and missing passengers, authorities said Wednesday. The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) vessel was carrying at least 114 adults and five crew members, along with an unknown number of children. The boat was designed to carry about 90 people, meaning it was operating beyond its stated capacity. Some reports put the total number aboard at around 153. The ferry was travelling from Kariba town toward islands and fishing communities when it encountered rough conditions. Survivors told investigators that large waves caused water to enter the vessel before it eventually overturned.
Initial reports said 77 people were rescued and 15 bodies recovered, but the Zimbabwe Republic Police later raised the confirmed death toll to 44. The number of missing passengers remains unclear, partly because some children may not have been formally recorded on the passenger list. Rescue efforts have involved police divers, army personnel, local boat operators, a specialized aquatic rescue team and helicopter support. Survivors were taken to Long Island, where emergency assistance was provided.
Lake Kariba, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, is the world’s largest artificial lake by volume and is an important transport route for communities living around its shores. The disaster is among the lake’s most serious passenger-boat accidents in recent years. In 2014, a separate boat accident on the Zambian side killed 26 people, most of them children. The latest tragedy is expected to raise fresh questions about passenger limits, vessel safety and emergency preparedness on Lake Kariba as authorities continue recovery operations and work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the sinking.
