Eight more bodies recovered from Lake Kariba as Zimbabwe ferry capsizing death toll rises to 80

Eight additional bodies were recovered from Lake Kariba on Sunday, bringing the death toll from a recent ferry capsizing to 80, according to police. The overloaded passenger ferry, operated by the government's Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized in rough waters on Tuesday, marking a rare accident on the extensive lake straddling Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The Kariba RIDA boat accident death toll stands at 80 following the retrieval of eight more bodies on August 16, 2026, as stated in a police statement. This is believed to be the deadliest such disaster in the country.

Search teams recovered 25 bodies on Saturday, increasing the toll to 72. Police did not provide details on the new victims, but most passengers on the vessel were villagers and fish traders from the Chalala fishing camp, many from the area around the lake. Officials revealed that the boat, authorized to carry 90 people, was packed with 114 adults, five crew members, and an unspecified number of children.

The civil protection unit reported that 77 people were rescued. With the 80 bodies recovered, this suggests the vessel was carrying 157 individuals. The ferry served as a crucial link for rural communities near the lake, connecting it to the town of Kariba, located nearly 280 kilometers (175 miles) northwest of Harare, Zimbabwe's capital.