Nehanda death toll rises to 44

The confirmed death toll from the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) ferry disaster has risen to 44, police said on Wednesday, as rescue teams continued searching for people still missing.

"The ZRP informs the public that the death toll in the Kariba RIDA boat accident is now 44," the Zimbabwe Republic Police said in an update on its social media platforms.

The latest figure followed the recovery of additional bodies near Long Island on Wednesday morning. A witness at the scene said the recovered bodies included both adults and children and were taken to the mortuary in Kariba.

Police had not immediately provided a detailed breakdown of the 44 fatalities.

Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Minister Mary Chombo said she had requested that the disaster be declared a national disaster, describing it as an unprecedented tragedy for Kariba.

"In the history of Kariba, we have never had a disaster of this magnitude," Chombo said during a media briefing in Kariba on Wednesday morning.

The Civil Protection Unit had earlier reported that 13 bodies had been recovered by Tuesday evening, revising an initial figure of 15.

A total of 64 passengers had been rescued, with 57 taken to the newly activated Mahombekombe Primary School Trauma Centre and seven admitted to Kariba District Hospital.

By Wednesday morning, three of those admitted to hospital had been discharged.

Rescue teams were deployed to Long Island early Wednesday as authorities intensified efforts to locate passengers who remained missing after the Mbuyanehanda Ferry capsized on Lake Kariba on Tuesday afternoon.

The search operation was taking place against a sombre backdrop, with unusual showers reported in Kariba overnight as relatives and friends gathered at the hospital mortuary to identify victims.

Authorities were still working to establish the exact number of people who were aboard the ferry at the time of the accident, with conflicting passenger figures complicating efforts to determine how many people remain unaccounted for.

The Mbuyanehanda Ferry, operated by RIDA, was travelling from Kariba to Chalala Fishing Camp when it capsized near Long Island.

The rising death toll has intensified calls for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster, including the vessel's condition, passenger capacity, weather conditions and compliance with safety regulations.