12 more bodies are recovered in Zimbabwe’s ferry disaster, bringing death toll to 84

In a tragic ferry accident on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, authorities have recovered 12 more bodies, raising the death toll to 84, according to police reports. The disaster occurred when the overloaded vessel capsized in strong waves on Tuesday, August 12, 2026. The disaster management agency reported that 77 people were rescued from the ferry, which was authorized to carry 90 passengers but may have had even more on board.

The aging ferry was en route from Kariba, a town on the lake, to rural and fishing communities in the northwest part of the country, where transportation is limited. Among the victims are 18 children, with the youngest just 1 year old, and 16 of the deceased were aged 10 or younger. Lake Kariba, the world's largest human-made lake by volume, was formed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by damming the Zambezi River.

The lake spans over 200 kilometers (124 miles) and is up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in certain areas, with the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia running through its middle.