Death toll in Zimbabwe ferry capsizing rises to 72

The death toll from a ferry capsizing on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba has risen to 72, police confirmed on Saturday. The capsized passenger ferry, operated by the government's Rural Infrastructure Development Agency, overturned in rough waters on Tuesday, marking the deadliest such disaster in the country's history. The vessel, authorized to carry 90 people, was overloaded with 114 adults, five crew members, and an unknown number of children, many of whom were villagers and fish traders living around the lake.

Twenty-three more bodies were recovered on Saturday, taking the death toll from 68 to 72. Police identified the new victims but provided no further details. The civil protection unit reported that 77 people had been rescued thus far.

Hundreds gathered at the district hospital in Kariba to identify the remains of their loved ones, as the search operation continued. A public memorial service was held in the town before the burials began, where survivors recounted their harrowing experiences. One survivor, Chance Siyamavhu, said he watched helplessly as people struggled to save themselves as the boat went down, with his best friend and seven relatives among the deceased.

Many passengers reportedly did not know how to use life jackets, and most were unable to escape the capsized vessel.