Lake Kariba Ferry Disaster: Death Toll Rises to 72
Among the victims are 18 children, 16 of whom were under ten years old, with the youngest being just one year old. The state-operated ferry was significantly overloaded, carrying at least 119 adults and crew members despite a 90-person limit, excluding an uncounted number of children.
The death toll from the capsizing of a passenger ferry on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe has risen to 72, authorities confirmed on Saturday, as search operations for additional victims continue.
The ferry, operated by a government agency, capsized on Tuesday during stormy weather on the lake, which lies on the border with Zambia. The vessel was significantly overloaded; according to authorities, while the approved capacity was 90 passengers, there were 114 adults, five crew members, and an unknown number of children on board. Officials noted that children below the ticket-purchasing age were not included in the official count. On Wednesday, the Civil Protection Unit reported that 77 people had been rescued.
Among the dead are 18 children, 16 of whom were under the age of ten. The youngest victim was only one year old.
On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered at the district hospital in the town of Kariba to identify their loved ones. The commander of the maritime rescue unit stated that recovery efforts are ongoing but are being delayed by cold weather.
Anger is mounting among the families, who claim that authorities have failed to provide adequate updates, forcing them to rely on social media and WhatsApp groups for information.
"We are here every day. No one comes to tell us what is happening with the search. We feel neglected," said one man waiting for news of two relatives.
Families have also accused the state agency of failing to assist with transportation to the hospital. Protests took place outside the facility on Friday.
Begging the captain to return to shore
On Thursday, a memorial ceremony was held in Kariba, located approximately 280 kilometers northwest of the capital, Harare. Survivors recounted begging the captain to return to shore after water began entering the vessel shortly after departure.
Chance Siamau, a 45-year-old survivor who lost his best friend and seven family members in the disaster, described the scene:
"Thank God a wave pushed the sinking ship and we were able to climb on top of it. When the ferry capsized, most people struggled to get life jackets, but most of them didn't even know how to use them. Most people didn't manage to survive."
Lake Kariba, the world's largest artificial lake by water volume, was created in the late 1950s and early 1960s following the construction of a dam on the Zambezi River. This incident is considered the deadliest maritime disaster in Zimbabwe's history.
