Zimbabwe arrests official after boat sinking that killed 97

Zimbabwean police have apprehended a district official on charges of culpable homicide following the tragic sinking of a government-run ferry that resulted in the deaths of at least 97 individuals. The ageing and overcrowded passenger ferry, a crucial transportation route for rural communities, capsized during severe weather and turbulent waters on August 11 in Lake Kariba, situated on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Authorities have confirmed that 97 bodies were recovered, including those of at least 30 children under the age of 10. A total of 77 survivors were rescued from the disaster.

The vessel, operated by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) and designated as the Kariba RIDA district coordinator, had a passenger capacity of 90. The 49-year-old individual who was arrested had previously made an appearance in court, as per the police statement. Lake Kariba, spanning the Zimbabwe-Zambia border, holds the distinction of being the largest man-made lake by volume in the world.