According to President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique, more than 100 individuals, including children, have tragically lost their lives, and over 20 others are currently missing after a ferry capsized off the northern coast of the country.
The incident occurred on Sunday when the makeshift boat, carrying 130 passengers from Lunga in Nampula province to Mozambique Island, was struck by a tidal wave. Lourenco Machado, an administrator of the country’s Maritime Transport Institute, stated that the fishing vessel was overloaded and not authorized to transport people.
Some of the passengers were reportedly fleeing the mainland due to misinformation about a cholera outbreak. As of now, ten individuals have been rescued.
The president expressed his sorrow over the accident and instructed the transport minister to provide assistance to the survivors and investigate the causes of this tragic event. Mozambique is currently dealing with a cholera outbreak, with Nampula being the most severely affected region.
