The death toll from a devastating boat accident on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has risen to 80, authorities said Sunday, after rescue teams recovered eight additional bodies from the lake.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police announced the latest figure on Sunday, saying the bodies were recovered as search operations continued following the accident on August 11.

The passenger vessel, operated by the government’s Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized in rough waters on Lake Kariba, a vast reservoir shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia. Earlier reports indicated that the vessel was carrying significantly more people than its authorized capacity of 90 passengers.

Investigations into the accident have pointed to overcrowding and difficult weather conditions as key factors. Earlier reports said the boat was carrying as many as 153 people, including 114 adult passengers and five crew members, while children who did not require tickets may also have been aboard.

The vessel was traveling from the town of Kariba toward rural communities and fishing camps when it encountered dangerous conditions and capsized.

Survivors previously described worsening conditions aboard the vessel, including water entering the boat and large waves. Some passengers reportedly urged the crew to turn back before the vessel overturned.

Rescue teams, including police, civil protection personnel and local boat operators, have continued searching the lake for victims.

Before the latest recovery of eight bodies, authorities had reported that 72 people had died. The latest operation brings the confirmed death toll to 80.

Earlier rescue efforts succeeded in saving dozens of passengers, with 77 people reported rescued during the initial operations. Authorities have continued efforts to locate those still missing and recover bodies from the wreckage and surrounding waters.

The scale of the tragedy has made the Lake Kariba accident one of the deadliest boating disasters in Zimbabwe’s history.

Many of those aboard the vessel were reportedly villagers and fish traders living in communities around the lake, including people from the Chalala fishing camp. The ferry provided an important transport connection for remote communities where road access and other forms of public transportation are limited.

The disaster has also renewed concerns about passenger safety, vessel capacity and the condition of boats operating on Lake Kariba.

Lake Kariba, created by damming the Zambezi River, stretches along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is one of the world's largest artificial reservoirs by volume. The lake is an important source of transport, fishing and hydroelectric power for the region.

Authorities are expected to continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the capsizing as recovery operations remain underway. (ILKHA)