
Over 90 individuals perished in a tragic incident when an overcrowded makeshift ferry capsized off the northern coast of Mozambique, as reported by local authorities on Sunday. The vessel, a converted fishing boat, was carrying approximately 130 passengers, encountering distress while attempting to reach an island off Nampula province, officials confirmed.
Jaime Neto, the secretary of state for Nampula, attributed the disaster to the boat’s overcrowding and unsuitability for passenger transport, leading to its sinking and the loss of 91 lives, including numerous children. Despite efforts by rescuers to locate survivors amidst challenging sea conditions, only five individuals had been found alive at the time of reporting, with ongoing search operations.
The motive behind the overwhelming number of passengers onboard was linked to widespread panic fueled by misinformation regarding cholera outbreaks on the mainland. Mozambique, grappling with nearly 15,000 cases of the waterborne disease and 32 fatalities since October, with Nampula being the most severely affected region, witnessed a surge in people fleeing to safety amid a surge in jihadist attacks in neighboring Cabo Delgado province.
Authorities have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic boat accident, with two survivors receiving medical treatment at a hospital. The ill-fated voyage was destined for the Island of Mozambique, a historic coral islet renowned for its past significance as the capital of Portuguese East Africa and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Situated along Mozambique’s expansive Indian Ocean coastline, the country, once a Portuguese colony until gaining independence in 1975, grapples with the dual challenges of natural disasters and socio-political unrest. Despite its rich potential, exemplified by the discovery of significant natural gas reserves in Cabo Delgado, progress has been hindered by an insurgency linked to the Islamic State group since 2017, resulting in substantial casualties and displacement of civilians.