The number of people killed in the Lake Kariba boat disaster has risen sharply, with the revised figure confirming the incident is now the worst maritime disaster in Zimbabwe’s history.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has revised upwards the death toll from the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA)-operated Mbuya Nehanda sinking on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier on Wednesday, ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said 13 bodies had been retrieved from the water.
In a later update, the ZRP said 44 bodies have now been retrieved from the lake.
The figure surpasses the previous worst incident on record – the 1996 Lake Chivero tragedy in which 22 Moleli High School pupils died in a boat accident.
The Mbuya Nehanda ferry, operated by RIDA, a successor to the District Development Fund (DDF), was a critical transport link for remote communities.
Mashonaland West MP Mutsa Murombedzi said locals relied on the ferry for routes including Kariba-Nyaminyami to Kariba Urban, a journey that could take up to five hours.
Last year the Government said lower fares on the ferry had “brought financial relief to travellers who use the boat to access remote areas in Nyaminyami District.”
That affordability is now under scrutiny, with the tragedy prompting fresh questions about the safety of the state-run service.
A survivor said the vessel was listing heavily to one side before it began to go down, alleging that the captain ignored passengers who had raised concerns about their safety.
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