Zimbabwe Ferry Disaster: Death Toll Rises To 72 As Rescuers Recover More Bodies

The death toll from the ferry disaster on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has risen to 72 after rescuers recovered 26 more bodies from the waters, police said, with 18 children among those killed.

The ferry, which was carrying passengers between the lakeside town of Kariba and remote communities in northwestern Zimbabwe, capsized on Tuesday amid strong waves. The vessel was reportedly overloaded and had a stated capacity of 90 passengers.

Authorities have yet to establish the exact number of people who were on board when the ferry overturned. Estimates suggest that as many as 153 passengers may have been travelling on the vessel, while Zimbabwe’s disaster management agency has said 77 people were rescued.

The full scale of the tragedy remains unclear as officials have not confirmed how many people are still missing. Rescue teams have continued searching the lake as authorities work to identify the victims and establish the circumstances that led to the disaster.

The ferry served communities where damaged roads and limited public transport leave residents heavily dependent on water travel. The vessel was described as ageing, raising further questions about safety standards and the condition of passenger boats operating on the lake.

The number of child victims also emerged as authorities updated their records. A police list showed that 16 of the children killed were aged 10 or younger, with the youngest victim only one year old. Children below ticketing age had initially not been included in passenger estimates.

Lake Kariba, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, is the world’s largest human-made lake by volume. Created by damming the Zambezi River in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it stretches for more than 200 kilometres and reaches widths of up to 40 kilometres.

The disaster is now among the deadliest recent accidents on the lake, with rescue and recovery operations continuing.