Overview
- The RIDA-operated ferry Mbuya Nehanda capsized while crossing Lake Kariba on August 11, and police confirmed 92 bodies recovered as search teams continue operations.
- Police have deployed multiple boats and more than 40 sub‑aqua divers and say they expect additional bodies to surface as searches widen around Long Island and toward the Zambian boundary.
- Official passenger limits listed the ferry for 90 people but survivors and records point to far larger numbers, with RIDA initially reporting 153 aboard and combined death and rescue totals suggesting the true count may be higher.
- Survivors described heavy cargo on deck and life jackets buried under luggage, and investigators are examining vessel condition, safety equipment, crew choices and boarding procedures.
- President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the incident a national disaster, families are struggling to identify and bury victims and authorities say DNA testing may be needed as recovery and accountability work continues.