Published on 11/08/2026 - 21:37 GMT+2

A boat ferrying 90 passengers and five crew members across Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe capsized on Tuesday, according to police.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police said rescue efforts were underway and urged people not to speculate on the number of casualties.

"The ZRP assures Zimbabweans and relatives of the Kariba boat accident victims that official information on the rescued victims, those injured or dead, will be released in due course after the scene management process is complete," the force added.

Locals are said to use the vessel to get from rural parts of the region to the town of Kariba, which is on the north side of Lake Kariba, close to the border with Zambia.

Mutsa Murombedzi, a Zimbabwean MP, said the vessel would normally take around 5 hours to cross the lake but that it was "hit by strong winds" as it made its way from Kariba to Chalala.

She also posted video footage to X showing what she said was the boat involved in the incident, the "Mbuya Nehanda," as it set off earlier in the day.

"We have very hard questions that require honest answers. The officials must release the correct number of people who were onboard," she added.