By Justine Akakulubelwa
The Zambia Police have identified the body recovered at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site as that of a 49-year-old American tourist, CHRISTOPHER GIBBS.
Southern Province Police Commanding Officer MOONO NAMALONGO confirmed the development in a statement issued to ZNBC News in Livingstone.
Mr. NAMALONGO said the incident was reported to Livingstone Central Police at around 08:00 hours on Wednesday by KENNEST MPOFU, the Divisional Criminal Investigations Officer from the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Matabeleland.
He said preliminary findings indicate that GIBBS entered Zambia through the Victoria Falls Border Post on January 5, 2026, and had earlier been reported missing in Zimbabwe after failing to return to his accommodation in Victoria Falls Town.
Mr. NAMALONGO said a joint operation involving the Zambia Police, Zambia Army Marine Unit, Zambia Air Force and the Livingstone City Council Fire Brigade retrieved the body from the Victoria Falls danger point at about 18:00 hours.
He said initial observations suggest the deceased sustained injuries consistent with a fall from a height, with a post-mortem examination expected to establish the exact cause of death.
The body has since been deposited at Batoka Mortuary at Livingstone University Teaching Hospital, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident continue.
