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Zimbabwe Ferry Disaster Death Toll Rises to 68

The number of people killed in Tuesday’s ferry accident on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has climbed to 68 following the recovery...

The number of people killed in Tuesday’s ferry accident on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has climbed to 68 following the recovery of 22 additional bodies, police authorities said on Saturday.

The vessel, operated by the government’s Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), overturned while navigating rough waters on the lake.

Officials said the ferry was licensed to carry 90 passengers but was carrying 114 adults, five crew members and an unknown number of children when the accident occurred.

At least 77 people were rescued after the vessel went down, according to Zimbabwe’s civil protection authorities.

Most of those aboard were villagers and fish traders who live in communities around Lake Kariba, which forms part of the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Survivors reportedly said they had urged the ferry operator to return to shore after the boat began taking in water shortly after leaving. The accident has prompted renewed concerns about passenger safety and overcrowding on the lake.

Mourners gathered in Kariba on Thursday for a memorial service before several victims were laid to rest.

Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume and is an important transport and fishing hub for communities on both sides of the Zimbabwe-Zambia border.

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