AT least 90 people have died and 26 are missing after a packed ferry sunk off the coast of Mozambique.
Rescuers are searching for survivors after the converted fishing boat – carrying about 130 people – ran into trouble as it tried to reach an island off Nampula.
2
2
So far, 94 people have been confirmed dead after the disaster – with many of the victims said to be children.
Nampula’s secretary of state, Jaime Neto, said: “Because the boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers, it ended up sinking.”
He said the passengers were trying to escape a cholera outbreak on the mainland, according to reports.
Other reports say misinformation about a cholera outbreak sparked panic and people scrambled to board the boat in an attempt to flee.
Unverified video footage on social media appeared to show dozens of bodies lined up on a beach.
Another appeared to show people on small boats pulling bodies out of the water.
The fishing boat was said to be travelling from Lunga to Mozambique Island – a small island that used to serve as the capital of Portuguese East Africa.
With its colonial architecture and rich history as a trading post, the island has been designated a Unesco world heritage site.
Initial reports suggested the vessel was hit by a tidal wave.
But an investigation has been launched to find out the cause of the tragedy, Neto said.
Nampula province has been one of the worst-affected by the cholera outbreak – with 15,000 cases and 32 deaths recorded since October, according to government data.
According to Unicef, the current outbreak is the worst in 25 years.
Many areas of Mozambique are also only accessible by boats – which are often overcrowded.
The African nation has a poor road network and some areas cannot be reached by land or air.
In recent months, Nampula province has also seen a large influx of people fleeing jihadist attacks in neighbouring Cabo Delgado.
At least 4,000 people have been killed and nearly one million have been displaced over the last six years.