KARIBA, Zimbabwe — At least 44 people have died after a government passenger ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, with search and rescue operations continuing Wednesday as authorities worked to locate additional survivors and recover bodies.
The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) ferry overturned on Tuesday in rough waters while travelling between the northern town of Kariba and islands and fishing communities scattered across the vast lake.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed that the death toll had risen to 44 on Wednesday, while authorities continued efforts to account for passengers who were on board.
The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) initially reported that 77 people had been rescued and 15 bodies recovered from the vessel.
The ferry was carrying significantly more passengers than its stated capacity. According to the CPU, the vessel was designed to accommodate 90 people but had 114 adult passengers and five crew members on board, in addition to an unspecified number of children.
Passengers reportedly pleaded to turn back
A survivor told Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) that passengers became increasingly concerned as weather conditions deteriorated, but their pleas to return were rejected.
She said the vessel continued sailing as waves became stronger and the boat began taking in water.
“We pleaded with him to phone the captain, but he said to us we were not in a position to tell him what to do,” the survivor said.
Witness Maxton Kanhema told AFP that the ferry had departed in the morning despite bad weather and may have been struck by a large wave that caused its engines to stop.
Kanhema was aboard a smaller boat that responded to the distress call.
“When we were in the waters, then you could see a distress sign and then boats that were close by responded,” he said.
He described a chaotic scene, with people in distress and bodies visible in the water around the overturned vessel.
Major rescue operation underway
Video from the scene showed a helicopter hovering above the upturned ferry while several boats participated in the rescue operation. Divers, members of the army and local rescue teams were also deployed.
A national park provided a helicopter to support the operation, while a specialised aquatic rescue team was flown into the area.
The CPU said two funeral parlours had been engaged to collect and transport recovered bodies.
Lake Kariba is located along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is more than 300 kilometres northeast of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.
The lake is widely regarded as the world’s largest man-made lake by volume and serves as a vital transport route for communities living around its shores and islands.
The ferry provided an important link between Kariba town and remote fishing villages and islands, allowing residents and traders to access commercial services.
President declares national disaster
President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed condolences to the victims’ families and declared the ferry disaster a national disaster.
He said the tragedy had exposed weaknesses in Zimbabwe’s maritime emergency response capabilities that required urgent attention.
“This tragedy has exposed serious deficiencies in our maritime capabilities which we have to address immediately so that our places of recreation do not become death traps to the innocent,” Mnangagwa said.
The accident is among the deadliest recorded passenger boat disasters on Lake Kariba and has renewed concerns about vessel capacity, safety standards and emergency preparedness on the major waterway.
Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the capsizing, including the vessel’s passenger load, weather conditions, possible mechanical problems and reports that the ferry was taking on water before it overturned.
Rescue teams remained on the lake Wednesday as authorities continued searching for people still missing and recovering victims from the wreckage.
