Death toll rises to 80 in Zimbabwe boat shipwreck

The number of fatalities from a tragic boat accident on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba has climbed to 80, following the recovery of eight additional bodies on Sunday, August 16.

The RIDA vessel capsized earlier in the week while en route between Chalala and Kariba. Initial reports suggested the boat carried 120 people, but police investigations indicate the number could be higher. The vessel's authorized capacity was 90 people.

Authorities have identified 44 victims so far, including 18 minors aged between one and five years old, as well as older children. While 67 people were initially reported rescued, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) stated that 77 survived by swimming or being swept to a nearby islet, from where they were evacuated.

In response to the scale of the disaster, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of national disaster. This declaration allows for the deployment of military resources, rescue divers, and aircraft. Mnangagwa acknowledged that the incident exposed significant shortcomings in the nation's maritime inspection and safety protocols.

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the number of dead in the accident of the RIDA (Rural Infrastructure Development Agency) vessel in Kariba now stands at 80, after the recovery of eight more bodies on August 16.