A boat carrying dozens of people has capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, prompting a major rescue operation, police said on Tuesday.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) initially said the vessel had 90 passengers and five crew members on board. The authorities did not immediately provide official figures for those rescued, injured, or killed, saying the information would be released once operations at the scene are completed.

However, local outlet ZBC News later reported additional details, citing officials involved in the emergency response. The outlet said at least 15 bodies had been recovered and more than 70 people rescued, while nearly 30 remained unaccounted for.

ZBC cited Mashonaland West Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Josphat Jaji, as saying that 114 tickets had been issued for the journey. The cause of the accident has yet to be officially established.

Lake Kariba, one of the world’s largest man-made reservoirs, lies along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is widely used for fishing, tourism and passenger transport.

The lake has seen several serious boating accidents recently. In March 2025, another boat capsized during a storm, leaving one fisherman missing while another survived by clinging to floating cooler boxes.

Fatal boat accidents are not uncommon elsewhere in Africa, with overloading and inadequate safety measures frequently cited among the contributing factors.

In September, at least 29 people were killed when a wooden boat carrying around 90 passengers capsized in Nigeria’s Niger State. Officials blamed  overloading and a collision with a submerged tree stump. None one was reportedly wearing a lifejacket, which is believed to have contributed to the high death toll. Emergency teams rescued 50 people, while others were reported missing.