Over 90 People Die While Fleeing Mozambique After Cholera Outbreak

At least 96 people have died and 26 have been declared missing after a ferry trying to flee a cholera outbreak in Mozambique capsized.

Authorities in the country stated that the makeshift ferry, carrying about 130 people, ran into trouble late on Sunday as it was trying to reach an island off Nampula province.

The Secretary of State for the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, Jaime Neto disclosed that most of those on board were trying to escape the mainland because of a panic caused by disinformation about cholera.

The authorities said the boat was believed to have sunk as it was overcrowded and unsuited to carrying passengers.

“Five more (bodies) have been found in the last few hours, therefore we are talking about 96 deaths. Three of the five were children ,” Silverio Nauaito, the island’s administrator told AFP.

Rescuers have found 11 survivors and search operations are continuing, the official said.

Nampula is one of the provinces worst affected by a cholera outbreak plaguing countries in southern and eastern Africa and the boat was reportedly headed from Lunga to Mozambique Island, off the coast of Nampula.