Zimbabwe: Lake Kariba Boat Accident Death Toll Rises to 97 As Two More Bodies Recovered
[New Zimbabwe] The death toll from the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) boat disaster has risen to 97, after two more bodies were recovered Thursday, police has said.
The death toll from the Kariba boat accident has risen to 97, with two more bodies recovered from Lake Kariba on Thursday, police have announced. Commissioner Paul Nyathi of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed the recovery of two bodies this afternoon, bringing the total to 97. The accident occurred on August 11 when the RIDA boat capsized while traveling from Kariba to Chalala, carrying villagers and fish traders.
The government has blamed the boat's captain for the incident, as he reportedly disregarded the Meteorological department's advice not to sail. Investigations into the disaster are ongoing. This tragedy has surpassed the 1991 Nyanga bus disaster as the country's worst accident in decades, with the deceased numbering more than the 81 individuals who perished in the bus accident.
Authorities are still recovering bodies from the lake, and families have gathered at the command centre in Kariba to seek information about missing relatives. The exact number of people aboard the RIDA boat remains under investigation due to conflicting accounts from authorities and survivors. So far, 39 more victims have been named by the police, including 21 children.
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