Zimbabwe ferry disaster death toll rises to 94

More than 80 of the victims have been positively identified by their relatives, police said

The death toll from last week’s ferry disaster on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has risen to 94, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said on Tuesday.  

Search teams remain deployed in the area and recovery operations will continue as the authorities seek to locate any people still missing. “The death toll is now 94,” the ZRP reported, adding that search efforts would continue to locate “any missing persons or bodies.”  

The latest figure marks a further increase from the 93 deaths reported by police on Monday. In an earlier statement, the ZRP said 83 of the victims had been identified by their relatives. The victims include a number of young children. 

The ferry, operated by Zimbabwe’s Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized on Lake Kariba on August 11 while traveling from the town of Kariba to remote communities and fishing camps along the lake. The ferry, which reportedly encountered strong waves, was carrying around 180 passengers and cargo at the time of the accident, according to local broadcaster ZBC News.   

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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the accident a national disaster and ordered maritime safety agencies and security forces to address deficiencies in the country’s maritime capabilities. He also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said medical, funeral and psychosocial support was being provided to those affected. 

The African Union (AU) has expressed condolences over the disaster. AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the bloc stood “in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe and the affected communities.” The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also conveyed its “sincere condolences and solidarity” to Zimbabwe. 

Fatal boat accidents occur regularly across Africa, where overcrowding and poor safety standards are often cited as contributing factors. In September, a wooden vessel carrying about 90 passengers capsized in Nigeria’s Niger State, killing at least 29 people. Authorities attributed the accident to overloading and the boat striking a submerged tree stump.

READ MORE: Dozens dead after boat capsizes in Nigeria