A catastrophic ferry accident on Sunday, April 7, claimed the lives of more than 100 people off the northern coast of Mozambique. The incident was reported by President Filipe Nyusi on Monday.
Following the sinking of the overcrowded fishing boat, repurposed to transport 130 passengers from Lunga, Nampula province to Mozambique Island, nearly 20 passengers are still missing.
The boat, operating without a passenger transport license, faced a tidal wave which became a contributing factor to the catastrophe. Lourenco Machado, an official from Mozambique’s Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR), revealed on state television that the boat was traveling from an area plagued by a cholera outbreak. The Nampula province’s Secretary of State’s office reported that the passengers were trying to escape the health crisis, and 10 individuals were saved from the disaster.
President Nyusi expressed his grief over the incident and sent the Minister of Transport to the island to initiate an investigation. The Mozambican Government is planning to meet to discuss ways to reduce the impact of the tragedy.
Footage available shows the grim aftermath with numerous bodies found along the coastline.
Mozambique, along with other Southern African nations, is currently dealing with cholera outbreaks. Since October, the country has recorded more than 15,000 cases and 32 deaths. Nampula province has been heavily impacted, with 5,084 cases and 12 fatalities.
This ferry disaster has shone a light on the ongoing issues in Mozambique, including the battle against the cholera outbreak, which has forced many to endanger their lives while trying to escape the disease. The country has experienced its largest cholera outbreak in 25 years, with over 43,000 cases reported across 30 districts in seven provinces from September 2022 to January 2023.
Efforts to contain the cholera outbreak have been hindered by limited access to clean water and inadequate sanitation infrastructure. To address this, international aid, including a $1.5 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund, has been directed towards improving health services, as well as water and sanitation facilities in affected areas.
This incident also emphasizes the precarious living conditions many Mozambicans face, with scarce access to safe transportation and the dangerous implications of overcrowding on unlicensed vessels. The Southern African nation, one of the poorest in the world, heavily relies on such boats for transportation, particularly in remote areas with insufficient road, land, and air access.
As the search for missing passengers continues, the community grieves for the lives lost. The government’s subsequent actions will be crucial in addressing the immediate needs of the affected families and averting future incidents of this kind.
