PH
The dead toll from the sinking of a makeshift ferry boat off Mozambique’s north coast has grown to 96, local authorities announced Monday.
The converted fishing boat, which was carrying approximately 130 people, fell into problems on Sunday while attempting to reach an island off Nampula province, officials said.
“Five more (bodies) were found in the last few hours, so we are talking about 96 deaths,” the island’s administrator, Silverio Nauaito, told AFP.
He stated that they included three youngsters. Rescuers have located 11 people, and the search is still ongoing, according to the official.
On Sunday, authorities said the boat sank because it was overcrowded and unsuitable for passenger transport.
According to Nampula’s secretary of state, Jaime Neto, the majority of individuals on board were attempting to flee the mainland due to fear induced by cholera disinformation.
According to government data, the southern African country, which is among the poorest in the world, has reported nearly 15,000 instances of waterborne sickness and 32 deaths since October.
Nampula is the hardest afflicted region, accounting for one-third of all cases.
The boat was on its way to the Island of Mozambique, a little coral islet that once served as the capital of Portuguese East Africa and gave the country its name.
Unverified video circulating online appeared to show hundreds of bodies lying on a beach.
