Zimbabwe ferry capsizing: death toll rises to 84

Published Aug 17, 02:54 AM UTC

Authorities in Zimbabwe continue to recover bodies from an overloaded ferry that capsized on Lake Kariba on August 10, 2026. The death toll has risen to 84, up from 72 the previous day, with 77 people rescued. The ferry was authorized to carry 90 passengers but estimates suggest it carried as many as 153, and official figures now indicate the number could be even higher. Among the dead are 18 children, including a 1-year-old, with 16 victims aged 10 or younger. Police say search efforts are still underway for missing victims. The aging ferry was traveling from Kariba town to rural fishing communities in northwestern Zimbabwe, where roads are damaged and public transport is scarce. Lake Kariba, the world's largest human-made lake by volume, straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.