Over 90 dead as Mozambique ferry sinks off northern coast, reports say

"Because the boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers, it ended up sinking," BBC reports citing Jaime Neto, secretary of state for the province of Nampula

Over 90 dead as ferry sinks off Mozambique coast Andy Vermaut @AndyVermaut via X

More than 90 people died after a ferry sank off the north coast of Mozambique, the BBC said, citing domestic authorities, with five rescued from among the nearly 130 believed to have been on board.

They were fleeing a cholera outbreak, the British Broadcasting Corp (BBC) said on Sunday, citing Jaime Neto, secretary of state for the province of Nampula near the incident site.

"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 X 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.