Boat capsizes on Lake Kariba, 95 aboard

Police say a boat departed peacefully early Tuesday, only to be hit by a large wave in the stormy waters of Lake Kariba and capsize.

Initial reports put 90 passengers and five crew aboard the vessel, but ticket sales recorded 114 adults, and there could have been children aboard who were not listed in the official numbers.

The vessel, which leaves Lake Kariba in the morning for a roughly five‑hour trip to the town of Kariba, was reported to have been an overloaded boat and to have been caught in a sudden swell.

Lake Kariba, one of the world’s largest man‑made reservoirs, occupies the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is vital for hydroelectric power production as well as for transportation and fishing.

Local MP Mutsa Murombedzi posted a video on X showing the boat before the voyage, stressing that authorities must publish the exact number of people onboard: “We have very hard questions that require honest answers. The officials must release the correct number of people who were onboard.”

Police stated that further details—such as the exact number of people who died and those rescued—will be released "in due course" as search and rescue teams work to locate survivors.

For more insight into this tragedy, watch BBC Africa’s coverage or explore related stories about transportation safety on the continent.