Aug 13, Kathmandu - Authorities announced on Wednesday that the death toll from a boat accident on Lake Kariba has risen to 44. The overloaded vessel, carrying more passengers than its capacity, capsized in the lake located near the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Rescue teams recovered 44 bodies from the lake, police confirmed. Details about the number of injured or missing persons remain undisclosed by officials. The disaster struck on Tuesday, and the government has yet to provide information on casualties beyond the confirmed deaths.

According to Zimbabwe’s disaster management authorities, at least 119 individuals, including 114 passengers and five crew members, were aboard the boat at the time of the accident. The total number of passengers remains uncertain, as only ticketed passengers' details are available, and young children without tickets might also have been on board.

The boat’s maximum capacity was 90 passengers. It was primarily used to transport residents from rural areas around Lake Kariba to the nearby town of Kariba for daily activities.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate and assist any potential missing persons. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the tragedy.