94 sinks in Mozambique boat disaster

No fewer than 90 people were killed when a boat sank off Mozambique’s north coast in a shocking disaster that has left families in a state of sadness.

According to the BBC, five people were rescued from among the almost 130 passengers believed to be on board.

The report says the victims of the boat disaster were escaping a cholera outbreak when the incident occurred.

The boat was travelling from Lunga in the province to Mozambique island, off the coast of Nampula.

Jaime Neto, secretary of state for Nampula province, which is near the event site, explained that the boat sank because it was overcrowded and unsuitable to carry passengers, adding that many children were among the victims.

He stressed that further investigations will be conducted to determine the cause of the accident.

Videos uploaded on social media X displayed many bodies laying on a beach, as well as adults carrying children’s bodies.

So far, two of the five survivors have been admitted to the hospital for medical treatment.

Nampula province has been one of the most hit by the cholera outbreak, which has expanded across numerous countries in southern Africa since January last year.

Reports by Unicef say the current outbreak is the most severe in 25 years.

Since October 2023, Mozambique has recorded 13,700 confirmed cases with about 30 fatalities.