Mozambique ferry disaster kills over 90 – officials
By Jose Tembe & Ido Vock
More than 90 people have died after a ferry sank off the north coast of Mozambique, local authorities say.
Officials in Nampula province said five people had been rescued of the around 130 believed to have been on board.
They were fleeing a cholera outbreak, Nampula Secretary of State Jaime Neto said. Many children were among the dead, he added.
“Because the boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers it ended up sinking,” said Mr Neto.
Unverified video posted on social media purported to show dozens of bodies lying on a beach.
The boat was apparently travelling from Lunga to Mozambique Island, off the coast of Nampula, Portuguese broadcaster RTP reported.
Nampula province has been one of the worst-affected by the cholera outbreak which has spread over several countries in southern Africa since January last year.
According to Unicef, the current outbreak is the worst in 25 years. Since October 2023, Mozambique has reported 13,700 confirmed cases and 30 deaths.
