Five individuals were rescued from the estimated 130 people on board the ferry that sank off the north coast of Mozambique, according to the BBC, which cited local officials. More than 90 people perished in the incident.
According to Jaime Neto, the secretary of state for the province of Nampula, which is close to the event site, they were escaping a cholera outbreak, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Sunday.
“Because the boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers, it ended up sinking,” he said, adding that many children were among the dead.
Videos posted on social media showed many bodies lying on a beach and some people carrying the bodies of children. Reuters could not immediately verify these videos.
Neto said investigators were working to find out the cause of the boat disaster, The Guardian reported citing AFP.
Two of the five survivors were receiving medical treatment, the report said.
Government officials did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The boat was travelling from Lunga in the province to Mozambique island, off the coast of Nampula, the BBC added.
(Reuters)
