In a tragic incident off Mozambique’s northern coast on Sunday, over 90 people lost their lives when a boat capsized. Local media reports indicate that the passengers on the boat were fleeing a cholera outbreak and were en route from Lunga to Mozambique Island, located off the coast of Nampula.
An island administration representative disclosed that the fishing boat was designed to accommodate a maximum of 100 people. However, there were approximately 130 people on board at the time of the incident. The AIM news agency, citing a representative of the maritime authority, reported that the ship likely capsized due to being hit by high waves.
Mozambique is currently grappling with the largest cholera outbreak it has seen in the last 25 years, as per the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Since the outbreak began in September 2022, more than 37,000 cases have been reported. This tragic incident underscores the desperate measures people are taking to escape the health crisis, and the urgent need for effective interventions to control the outbreak and prevent further loss of life.