At least 94 people died after a government ferry capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, with around 180 passengers and cargo on board—twice the capacity previously stated by police. The Zimbabwean government reported this on Tuesday, August 18, UNN writes.
Details
The ferry was traveling from the city of Kariba to a remote rural community on the lake when it capsized in heavy waves. Police said the death toll had been rising throughout the week following the disaster.
According to the government, around 77 people were rescued, while the search-and-rescue operation is ongoing. The statement said that the number of passengers and the volume of cargo exceeded the ferry's permissible carrying capacity.
The largest transportation disaster
Police had previously reported that the ferry was designed to carry up to 90 passengers. The government did not specify the exact approved passenger capacity, but confirmed that the number of people and the amount of cargo on board exceeded the permitted limits.
The state newspaper The Herald called the disaster the deadliest transportation tragedy in Zimbabwe's history. It surpassed the death toll from a 1991 bus accident in which 89 people were killed.
Lake Kariba is located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is one of the largest artificial reservoirs in the world. Search efforts at the disaster site are continuing.
In Zimbabwe, the death toll from the ferry disaster on Lake Kariba has exceeded 9018.08.26, 01:38