Over 100 Dead as Overloaded Ferry Sinks off Mozambique’s Northern Coast

Summary:

• President Filipe Nyusi confirmed over 100 fatalities following the sinking of a ferry off Mozambique’s northern coast. The vessel, reportedly overloaded and unlicensed for passenger transport, was carrying 130 individuals from Lunga to Mozambique Island. Initial reports suggest it was struck by a tidal wave. Passengers, fleeing a cholera outbreak, were aboard.

President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique announced on Monday that over 100 people lost their lives in a tragic ferry boat accident off the northern coast, with nearly 20 individuals still missing.

According to an official from the Maritime Transport Institute (Intrasmar), the vessel, carrying 130 passengers, was an overloaded fishing boat unauthorized for passenger transport.

Lourenco Machado, an administrator of Intrasmar, revealed on state television that the boat was en route from Lunga in Nampula province to Mozambique Island when it reportedly encountered a tidal wave.

The passengers, reportedly fleeing a cholera outbreak, were in dire straits, with 10 rescued and nearly 20 still unaccounted for, as per the Office of the Secretary of State for Nampula Province.

Expressing sorrow over the incident, President Nyusi instructed the transport minister to investigate the matter on the island.

In response, the Mozambican Government has planned a meeting to assess the situation and undertake necessary measures to mitigate the incident’s impact, according to Nyusi’s office.

Videos obtained by Reuters depict a grim scene of bodies strewn on the beach, highlighting the magnitude of the tragedy.

Mozambique, along with other Southern African nations, has grappled with cholera outbreaks since last year, with the country reporting over 15,000 cases and 32 deaths, as per government data. Nampula Province alone recorded over 5,000 cases and 12 deaths as of Sunday.

(BE)