Kariba, Zimbabwe (Running Africa) — At least 15 people have died after a passenger boat capsized on Lake Kariba in northwestern Zimbabwe, with emergency teams continuing search and rescue operations amid conflicting reports over how many people were aboard the vessel.

The boat overturned on Tuesday after being struck by a powerful wave while transporting passengers across the lake toward Kariba town, according to authorities.

At least 77 people have been rescued, while 15 bodies have been recovered. Officials are still working to determine the exact number of passengers, raising concerns that more people could remain unaccounted for.

Conflicting Passenger Numbers Raise Overloading Concerns

Zimbabwean police initially said the vessel was carrying 90 passengers and five crew members when it capsized.

However, the Zimbabwe Civil Protection Unit said ticketing records showed that 114 adults may have boarded the boat, with an unknown number of children potentially travelling alongside them.

The discrepancy has prompted authorities to investigate whether the vessel was overloaded at the time of the accident.

Local leaders have called for greater transparency as families wait for information about missing relatives and rescue teams continue searching the lake.

77 Survivors Rescued From Lake Kariba

Emergency personnel have so far rescued 77 people, although the conflicting passenger figures mean authorities have not established how many people remain missing.

Search and recovery teams are continuing operations as officials attempt to reconcile passenger records with survivor accounts and other information from the scene.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether weather conditions, overloading or other factors contributed to the vessel capsizing beyond reports that it was struck by a strong wave.

Lake Kariba Is a Critical Transport Route

Straddling the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, Lake Kariba is one of the world’s largest man-made reservoirs and plays a significant economic role in both countries.

The lake supports passenger transportation, fishing, tourism and hydroelectric power generation, making it an important source of livelihoods for communities across the region.

Thousands of people rely on boats to travel between settlements surrounding the vast reservoir, placing renewed attention on vessel safety and enforcement of passenger limits following Tuesday’s tragedy.

Boat Disaster Raises Questions Over Passenger Safety

The deadly accident has intensified calls for stronger oversight of passenger vessels operating on Lake Kariba, particularly around capacity limits, passenger records and emergency preparedness.

The conflicting accounts of how many people were aboard are expected to form a key part of the investigation as authorities seek to determine whether safety regulations were followed.

For now, rescue teams remain focused on finding anyone still missing while families await answers about the full scale of the disaster.