At least 15 people have died after a boat carrying dozens of people sank in Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, and rescue operations continue, authorities said. Police said 90 passengers and five crew were aboard the ship when it capsized on Tuesday, but it may have been overloaded, and other reports point to a higher number based on recorded ticket sales. The boat was hit by a strong wave and capsized, police added. Images shared online appear to show the helmet floating in the water. Straddling the border with Zambia, Lake Kariba is one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the world, supporting transportation and fishing and providing vital hydroelectric power to both countries. Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit (CPU) said recorded ticket sales showed 114 adults were on board the ship. There may also have been an unknown number of children under ticketing age, he added. “So far, 77 passengers have been rescued by Matusadonha rescue teams and others,” the CPU said. He added that “15 bodies have also been recovered” and two funeral homes had been contracted to collect the bodies for processing. Mutsa Murombedzi, a member of local parliament, posted a video on X, outside of what he said was the boat at the start of the journey, adding that locals had been using it. “We have very difficult questions that require honest answers. Officials must release the correct number of people who were on board,” he wrote. Police said more details would be released “in due course.”
