By Desire Tshuma
Kariba — The death toll from the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) boat tragedy has risen to 92, following the recovery of eight more bodies from Lake Kariba, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 17, 2026, police said the eight bodies were recovered during ongoing search and recovery operations, bringing the number of confirmed deaths to 92 as of 3pm.
The latest development comes six days after the tragedy, which has plunged families and communities into mourning as search teams continue scouring the waters of Lake Kariba for victims.
The police said the Commissioner-General of Police had, since August 11, deployed two big boats, two small boats and more than 40 police Sub-Aqua members, alongside other resources, to support the rescue, search and recovery operation.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that as at 1500 hours today, the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) boat accident death toll is now 92 after eight bodies were recovered from Lake Kariba,” the police said.
The operation has also involved coordination between the police, Government departments and other stakeholders to ensure that recovered bodies are handled professionally and identified as swiftly as possible.
Police said they had also assisted with the mobility of the lake captain as authorities intensified efforts to manage the operation and support the affected families.
The continued recovery of bodies has heightened the grief among relatives who have been waiting anxiously for news of their loved ones since the accident.
Authorities have urged relatives seeking information to approach the Command Centre in Kariba or the local police station for relevant information concerning the accident and the identification of recovered bodies.
The tragedy has triggered a major emergency response at Lake Kariba, with specialised police divers and boats deployed as authorities race against time to recover the remaining victims.
The latest figure of 92 makes the Kariba RIDA boat disaster one of the deadliest maritime tragedies in Zimbabwe in recent years, with families continuing to wait for the recovery and identification of their loved ones.
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