By Tichaona Katsvamutima
The death toll from the Kariba ferry disaster has risen to 93 after another body was recovered on Monday night, making the tragedy the deadliest transport disaster in Zimbabwe’s history.
This means the Kariba ferry disaster has surpassed the 1991 Nyanga bus accident, which claimed 89 lives and was the country’s deadliest transport tragedy for more than three decades.
The Nyanga disaster occurred in 1991 when a bus carrying students and teachers from Regina Coeli Mission plunged into the Nyanga Mountains during a school trip. The crash claimed 89 lives and left a lasting mark on the country.
The Kariba tragedy has now overtaken that death toll, with search and recovery operations continuing as authorities work to account for all those who were on board the ill-fated vessel.
The disaster has triggered a major emergency response involving authorities, rescue teams and local communities, with efforts focused on recovering bodies and assisting affected families.
Authorities have also been working to identify the recovered bodies and reunite them with their relatives. Identification has become increasingly difficult in some cases, raising the possibility of DNA testing where visual identification is not possible.
The scale of the disaster has renewed concerns about safety standards and emergency preparedness on Lake Kariba, one of Zimbabwe’s major inland waterways.
The authorities are expected to provide further details on the recovery operation, the identities of the victims and the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
