Jakarta, ThedailyID — The death toll from a ferry accident in Zimbabwe has risen to 72, after the vessel sank on Lake Kariba on Saturday, August 15.
The ferry was carrying passengers between Zimbabwe and Zambia when it sank after reportedly being hit by large waves.
Authorities initially reported 68 deaths. They later recovered additional bodies, bringing the confirmed death toll to 72.
“The death toll in the RIDA boat accident in Kariba has now reached 72 after three more bodies were recovered late on August 15, 2026,” Zimbabwean police said in a statement, according to AFP.
Authorities continued identifying the victims while searching for passengers who remained missing.
The disaster has been described as one of Zimbabwe’s deadliest maritime accidents.
Local officials said the ferry was designed to carry up to 90 people. However, reports indicated that the vessel was carrying 114 adults, five crew members and an unspecified number of children when it sank.
Many passengers were reportedly villagers and fish traders who lived around Lake Kariba.
The latest figures also raised questions about the vessel’s passenger capacity and safety conditions. Authorities have yet to provide a complete account of how many people were aboard when the ferry sank.
Rescue teams continued searching the lake for survivors and additional victims as authorities worked to identify those who died.
