Death Toll in Zimbabwe Ferry Disaster Reaches 94

The casualty count from a ferry accident on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe has risen to 94 people, and search operations are still under way, according to local police.

On August 11, the ferry Nbuya Nehanda departed the town of Kariba and set out for the village of Chalala, about 35 miles away. The boat was carrying about 180 people (the manifest appears unclear), twice its rated 90-passenger capacity, according to the Zimbabwean government.

This was the chaotic scene during boarding of the doomed Mbuya Nehanda ferry on a recent voyage from rural Nyaminyami to Kariba urban - a tortuous 5-hour journey. The government-owned boat capsized at Lake Kariba on Tuesday carrying over 100 people.

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Lake Kariba is the largest manmade reservoir in the world by volume, and its ferry routes connect communities and fishing camps with few other access options. The vessel was overcrowded, with both passengers and belongings. Pre-casualty photos show that its deck had an enclosed cloth canopy on top and sides, a complicating factor in previous small passenger-vessel casualties.

A high wind advisory was in effect at the time of departure, according to the Zimbabwean government, but the crew decided to sail. In rough surface conditions, the ferry capsized, killing at least half of those on board. Good samaritans and other first responders rescued 77 people; search operations continue.

The high casualty count makes the capsizing the country's worst-ever transport sector disaster. The government announced Tuesday that it is launching an full investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

The loss of the government-owned ferry will affect tourism and subsistence fishing operations around the lake, and plans to replace it appear unclear. Officials told The Herald-Zimbabwe that the route is open to private operators who might choose to offer an alternative service.