Harare, Zimbabwe: Seventy-two people, including 18 children, were killed when an overloaded ferry capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe this week, police said Saturday after rescuers recovered more bodies.
The ferry capsized in strong waves on Tuesday. Police said 26 more bodies have been recovered since then, bringing the death toll to 72.
The aging ferry was travelling from the town of Kariba to rural and fishing communities in the country's northwest, where roads are damaged and public transportation is scarce.
Authorities have not said how many people were aboard or how many remain missing.
Estimates have put the number of passengers as high as 153, while authorities say the ferry's capacity is 90. Zimbabwe's disaster management agency has said 77 people were rescued.
Authorities initially said the number of children aboard was unknown because those below the ticketing age were not included in passenger estimates. A police list released later showed that 16 of the child victims were aged 10 or younger, with the youngest just one.