Lake Kariba Boat Accident Death Toll Rises to 97 As Two More Bodies Recovered

The death toll from a devastating boat accident on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba has climbed to 97, with the recovery of two more bodies on Thursday, marking the tenth day of the search operation. The incident, involving a vessel operated by the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), has become the country's worst accident in decades.

The RIDA boat capsized on August 11 while en route from Kariba to Chalala. It was carrying villagers and fish traders who regularly use the service to cross the vast lake. The rising death toll has surpassed the scale of the 1991 Nyanga bus disaster, which claimed over 80 lives.

Authorities are continuing to recover bodies from the lake, while families anxiously gather at the command center in Kariba, seeking information about their missing relatives. The exact number of passengers on board remains under investigation, with conflicting accounts emerging from authorities and survivors.

Government officials have pointed to the boat's captain as being responsible for the disaster, alleging that he ignored advice from the Meteorological Department not to sail. Investigations into the full circumstances surrounding the capsizing are ongoing.

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The ZRP reports that the Kariba RIDA Boat accident death toll is now 97 after the recovery of two bodies from the lake this afternoon.