At Least 44 Dead in Zimbabwe Ferry Capsize on World's Largest Artificial Lake

At least 44 people have died after an overcrowded passenger ferry capsized on Lake Kariba, a large artificial lake on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Authorities announced the grim toll on Wednesday, following the incident that occurred Tuesday.

The ferry, operated by the Rural Development Agency (RIDA), was traveling between the towns of Kariba and Chalala, making stops at various islands and fishing communities. It was reportedly carrying 114 adult passengers and five crew members, significantly exceeding its official capacity of 90 people. An unknown number of children, who did not require tickets, were also on board.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed his condolences to the victims' families and attributed the shipwreck to adverse weather conditions and strong waves. The ferry had departed in difficult weather, and a powerful wave is believed to have struck the vessel, disabling the engine before it capsized.

Authorities have declared a state of disaster following the accident. Rescue operations involving boats, divers, and a helicopter were launched, but the challenging weather conditions significantly hindered the search efforts. Despite the difficulties, 77 people were rescued and taken to Long Island, located in the middle of the lake.

Lake Kariba, situated northwest of the capital Harare, is the world's largest artificial lake by volume. In a separate incident on the same day, a woman died and over 200 people were rescued after a ferry caught fire off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia, amid rough seas. This follows a July incident where a ferry carrying 133 people capsized in Guyana, with 67 rescued.