Over 100 dead in Mozambique ferry incident

More than 100 people died after a ferry boat sank off the northern coast of Mozambique, President Filipe Nyusi said on Monday, and almost 20 others were still missing.

An official from the country’s Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR) said the vessel carrying 130 passengers was an overloaded fishing boat and was not licensed to transport people.

It was ferrying people from Lunga in Nampula province to Mozambique Island on Sunday, Lourenco Machado, an administrator of INTRASMAR, said on state television, adding that initial reports indicated that it was hit by a tidal wave.

Nyusi said he was saddened by the tragedy and directed the southern African nation’s transport minister to visit the island for investigation.

“The Mozambican Government will meet tomorrow to assess the situation and take necessary measures to minimize the impact of this incident,” his office said.

Mozambique and other countries in Southern Africa have been battling cholera outbreaks since last year.

Mozambican government data showed the country has recorded 15,051 cases of cholera since October, resulting in 32 deaths. As of Sunday, Nampula province had recorded 5,084 cases and 12 deaths.- Reuters