Mozambique: At least 94 people were killed after an unlicensed ferry capsized, an official said

Reuters
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At least 94 people have died, including children, and 26 are missing after a ferry capsized off the northern coast of Mozambique, an official at the Mozambique Maritime Transport Institute said.

Lourenco Machado, director of Instrasmar, told state television on Monday that the ship was an overloaded fishing boat and was not licensed to transport people.

“On Sunday, we recorded a maritime accident where at least 94 people died when a barge carrying 130 people capsized. We recovered 94 bodies and 26 missing people.”

He added that the boat was transporting people from Lunga in Nampula Province to the island of Mozambique, adding that initial reports indicated that it was exposed to a tsunami.

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State broadcaster TVM, citing another local naval official, said the passengers were fleeing a cholera outbreak.

Jaime Neto, secretary of state for Nampula province, said the passengers were fleeing cholera, according to the BBC.

“Because the boat was overcrowded and not suitable for carrying passengers, it ended up sinking,” he told the BBC, adding that many children were among the dead.

Videos posted on the social media site X showed many bodies lying on the beach and some people carrying the bodies of children. Reuters could not immediately verify these videos.

Mozambique and other countries in southern Africa have been battling a cholera epidemic since last year.