By Staff Reporter
HARARE — The death toll from the Lake Kariba ferry disaster rose to 84 on Sunday after 12 more bodies were recovered, as authorities continued searching for people still missing.
Latest figures indicate that 161 people were aboard the government-owned ferry when it sank in rough waters on August 11, far exceeding its reported capacity of 90 passengers.
Authorities said 77 people survived.
“We confirm that search efforts are still underway in a bid to recover victims identified as missing,” national police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
The exact number of people aboard the ferry remains uncertain, raising fears that the death toll could increase as the search continues.
According to the Civil Protection Unit, registered ticket sales accounted for 114 adults and five crew members aboard the vessel.
However, an unknown number of children below the ticketing age were also on board and were not included in the official records.
One survivor, who was among the five crew members, said he counted 153 people aboard the ferry.
Bound for rural and fishing communities in north-western Zimbabwe, the vessel was travelling from Kariba, where damaged roads and limited public transport have left communities heavily reliant on the lake.
Fresh questions have emerged over safety procedures and passenger limits on the ageing ferry following the disaster.
Lake Kariba, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, is the world’s largest human-made lake by volume. It was created by damming the Zambezi River in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
The lake stretches more than 200km and is up to 40km wide in places, with the international border running through its middle.
