Zimbabwe police release names of Lake Kariba ferry victims

Zimbabwean police have released the names of 44 people confirmed to have died in the Lake Kariba ferry disaster, with 18 children under the age of 10 among the victims.

The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) vessel capsized on Tuesday, 11 August, while travelling across Lake Kariba.

The exact number of people aboard remains unclear, with authorities warning that the ferry may have been carrying more passengers than initially recorded.

Children among those killed

The victims whose names have been released were identified by their next of kin.

The youngest victim identified so far was one-year-old Wendy Ndandarika. Other very young children were also among those who died, according to the police list.

Police say the identification of other recovered bodies is continuing as search and recovery operations remain under way.

77 people rescued

At least 77 people were rescued after the ferry overturned.

The vessel’s stated capacity was reportedly 90 people, while authorities initially recorded 114 adult passengers and five crew members.

The possibility that additional children and other passengers were aboard has made it difficult to establish an accurate passenger count.

Survivors have described being caught in rough conditions, with some saying passengers had pleaded with the captain to turn back as the weather deteriorated.

Investigation continues

The disaster has raised questions about the ferry’s passenger capacity, safety procedures and the decision to continue the journey in difficult conditions.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a State of Disaster following the tragedy and said the incident had exposed serious shortcomings in the country’s maritime capabilities.

Recovery teams involving divers and other emergency personnel continue to search Lake Kariba for those still unaccounted for, while police investigations remain ongoing.

Authorities are expected to release further information as more victims are identified and the circumstances surrounding the disaster become clearer.