Lake Kariba ferry accident: 44 dead after overcrowded boat capsizes in Zimbabwe

At least 44 people have died after an overcrowded ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, in one of the deadliest passenger boat accidents recorded on the vast man-made lake.

The death toll was raised sharply by police on Wednesday, a day after the vessel sank in rough weather.

The ferry, operated by Zimbabwe’s Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), was carrying 114 adults and five crew members, along with an unknown number of children, when it overturned on Tuesday.

The vessel had a stated capacity of 90 people, raising questions about whether it was carrying more passengers than it was designed to handle.

The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) initially said 77 people had been rescued and 15 bodies recovered. But the Zimbabwe Republic Police later said the death toll had climbed to 44 as rescue teams continued searching the lake for survivors and those still missing.

Ferry sank in rough weather

The vessel was travelling between the northern town of Kariba and several islands and fishing communities when it ran into trouble. A witness who reached the area after the accident said the ferry appeared to have been affected by the difficult weather conditions.

Maxton Kanhema, who was on a smaller boat that responded to the emergency, told news agency AFP that the ferry may have been hit by a large wave, causing its engines to stop.

A distress signal was spotted in the water before nearby boats moved towards the vessel. Kanhema said rescuers found people struggling in the water and saw bodies floating near the capsized ferry.

“It was a sad situation to witness,” he told the news agency.

Army, divers join search operation

The rescue effort has involved local boats, divers and members of the army. A nearby national park also provided a helicopter to support the operation, while a specialised aquatic rescue team was flown to the area.

The 77 people initially rescued from the accident were taken to Long Island, located in the middle of Lake Kariba. Two funeral parlours were also brought in to recover and transport the bodies as authorities worked to establish the final number of people on board.

The search was continuing on Wednesday amid fears that the death toll could rise further.

One of Africa’s largest lakes

Lake Kariba lies along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is located more than 300 kilometres northeast of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.

It is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume and is an important transport route for communities living around its shores and islands.

The scale of the disaster has made the accident one of the most serious passenger boat tragedies reported on the lake. The high number of people aboard the RIDA vessel, combined with reports of rough weather and engine failure, is likely to draw scrutiny as authorities investigate what caused the ferry to capsize.