Seventh-day Adventists had gathered at a camp site in Kariba for what was to be a week of spiritual renewal. On the afternoon of Tuesday, 11 August 2026, the news reached them that the Mbuya Nehanda ferry had capsized on Lake Kariba.

Many at the camp had loved ones aboard.

"With social media awash with videos and pictures of the incident, most congregants were gripped with panic," said Pastor Rich Isaac Ketani, Seventh-day Adventist District Pastor in Kariba. Camp attendees left the site to search for news of their families.

The Mbuya Nehanda, operated by Zimbabwe's Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized while carrying passengers and goods towards remote fishing communities along the Kariba-Chalala route. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the incident a National Disaster, and government has launched a full-scale investigation. At least 97 people have died, making it the deadliest boat disaster in Zimbabwe's history.Preliminary investigations presented to Cabinet indicate the ferry was carrying about 180 passengers and goods, exceeding its authorised capacity.

At least 18 children were among the victims, including 16 under the age of 10. The vessel's captain, 59-year-old Sign Patsikadova, also died.

The ferry was a lifeline for communities along the lake, Pastor Ketani said. "Along the lake we have villages and fishing camps. Villagers and residents of these fishing camps come to Kariba town to buy goods and other services, or even when they are transiting to the capital city Harare they pass through Kariba using this ferry, which was one of their main sources of transport."

Survivors were taken to a facility at Mahombekombe Primary School in Kariba, where they are receiving medical and psychological care. Adventist leaders were among the first to arrive.

"Many of the survivors are still in shock and are in desperate need of counselling as they are questioning God as to why they encountered such an ordeal," said Dr. Morris Mlambo, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor who was on site.

Pastor Ketani said the wider Kariba community has been deeply affected. "They are very depressed and stressed, as many of them up until now don't understand what happened. We must also understand that some of them have never been to a church, so when faced with such struggles they do not know where to turn to."

Church leaders have been granted permission to conduct structured counselling sessions with survivors in the coming days. Dr. Mlambo said this support matters in the aftermath of a disaster of this scale, when survivors carry unanswered questions and acute grief.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, through the leadership of the Zimbabwe East Union Conference, North Zimbabwe Conference, Kariba District, and local members, joined the community response, offering counselling and providing food to survivors at Mahombekombe.

"As you understand, we were at camp meeting," Dr. Mlambo said. "But our camp meeting has now shifted, and it is now here at Mahombekombe."

Search and recovery operations have continued across Lake Kariba, with police divers, military personnel, and local fishermen involved.

Extending condolences to the people of Kariba and to Zimbabwe, Pastor Ketani said: "There is hope, even in death."