A ferry capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, resulting in at least 44 deaths, according to police reports. The vessel was operating significantly beyond its intended capacity, carrying 114 adult passengers and five crew members along with an unknown number of children, despite being designed to accommodate only 90 people. One crew member indicated the total number aboard may have reached 153 when the disaster occurred.
The incident happened after the ferry struck large waves approximately 30 minutes into its journey from the lakeshore town of Kariba toward islands and fishing camps. A specialized underwater rescue team was deployed to the area as authorities continued search and rescue operations. Police updated the death toll twice on Wednesday afternoon, first reporting 38 fatalities before revising the number to 44, with 27 people initially listed as missing.
Lake Kariba, situated along Zimbabwe’s border with Zambia, holds the distinction of being the world’s largest human-made lake by volume. The waterway has experienced several maritime accidents in recent years, including a 2014 capsizing in Zambian waters that claimed 26 lives, predominantly children. Additional incidents on the Zimbabwean side occurred in 2021 and 2023, highlighting ongoing safety concerns for boat travel on the lake.
Originally reported by Theguardian →
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