The death toll from the sinking of a fishing boat converted into a boat on Sunday, April 7, has risen to 96, local authorities told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday. Initial reports indicated that 91 people were dead and five were alive while the ship was overloaded with 130 passengers.
“Five more [corps] Found in the last few hours, so we're talking about 96 deaths., said Silverio Navido, administrator of the small island in the northern province of Nampula where the tragedy occurred. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the drowning, and two of the five survivors have been hospitalized, Nampula's secretary of state Jaime Neto said.
Misinformation about the cholera epidemic
The boat was heading towards the former capital of Portuguese colonialism in East Africa, Mozambique, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to Neto, most of the travelers tried to leave the mainland because of misinformation about the cholera epidemic that caused panic.
Mozambique, one of the world's poorest countries, has recorded nearly 15,000 cases of the disease, which is spread by dirty water, and 32 people have died since October, according to government figures. Nampula province is the worst-affected region, accounting for one-third of the cases. In recent months, it has also welcomed many fleeing a series of jihadist attacks in the neighboring province of Cabo Delgado in the north of the country.
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