President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended heartfelt condolences to Zimbabwe after 44 people died when a ferry capsized on Lake Kariba, pledging South Africa’s solidarity with grieving families and survivors as search operations continue.

The ferry was carrying 114 adult passengers, five crew members, and an unspecified number of children when it went down, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) said.

The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) vessel – which ferries people between the northern town of Kariba and several islands and fishing villages – had a capacity of 90 people, it said.

The unit said initially that 77 people were rescued and 15 bodies were retrieved.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police updated the toll later Wednesday, saying on X: “The ZRP informs the public that the death toll in the Kariba RIDA boat accident is now 44.”

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the president has offered his sympathies to the families of 44 people who died.

“President Ramaphosa’s thoughts are also with the survivors of the tragedy and families who await the outcome of continuing search operations.”

Ramaphosa said: “As South Africans, we stand in solidarity today with the nation of Zimbabwe as we mourn this extensive loss of life.

“We wish survivors a speedy recovery, and we pay tribute to the emergency services who are working tirelessly to support and bring closure to affected families and communities.”

It is one of the worst recorded passenger boat disasters on the lake, which is on the border with Zambia and more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) northeast of the capital, Harare, according to AFP.

It is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume.

Two funeral parlours were engaged to collect the bodies, the CPU said, as the search continued for any unaccounted-for people.