The death toll from Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba ferry disaster has climbed to 72, after rescuers recovered 25 bodies on Saturday as efforts to locate the remaining missing passengers continued.

According to the police, 22 bodies were recovered earlier in the day, followed by three more later that evening. Officials are working to establish the identities of those killed.

The ferry, operated by the government's Rural Infrastructure Development Agency, capsized in rough waters on Tuesday while transporting passengers across Lake Kariba, which lies along the Zimbabwe-Zambia border.

Authorities said the vessel was licensed to carry 90 people but was carrying 114 adult passengers and five crew members when it overturned. The number of children on board remains unknown. The Civil Protection Unit said 77 people were rescued the following day.

The incident is described as Zimbabwe's deadliest ferry disaster.

At Kariba District Hospital on Saturday, hundreds of relatives and friends gathered as authorities began the process of identifying the recovered bodies.

A public memorial service was held in Kariba on Thursday, ahead of the start of burials for those who died in the tragedy.

With input from local agencies