National Mourning Ends, as Investigation into Fatal Mozambique Ferry Accident Continues

A three-day national mourning over the tragic ferry accident that claimed the lives of at least 94 Mozambicans ends Friday, with the government launching an inquiry into the cause of the accident.

“No wave took us by surprise, we didn't hit any rocks, and the wood didn't come loose,” 47-year-old survivor Muaziza Ambaraje told the BBC. "Water got into the boat because it was overcrowded — lots of people panicked and started to jump into the sea," Ambaraje, who lost 17 of her relatives, adds.

President Filipe Nyusi has directed the transport minister to visit the island to kickstart the thorough investigation.

The tragedy, which occurred earlier this week, is the worst sea-related disaster, ensued after a makeshift ferry capsized off the northern coast. The vessel was carrying people who were traveling from Lunga, in the Nampula Province, to the Island of Mozambique.

Ambaraje’s family was traveling to the popular weekly market on Mozambique Island ahead of Eid celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan. Lunga is a muslim-majority town, and as many of the dead were practicing muslims, they were mass buried shortly after their bodies were retrieved.

Lourenco Machado, an administrator of the country’s Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR), said on state television that the barge was carrying 130 people. Machado added that initial reports indicated that the barge was hit by a tidal wave, which left many of the passengers helpless.

Disinformation over a cholera outbreak sent many people into a frenzy, as they scrambled to leave Lunga by boat, says the Mozambican government. The vessel was a fishing boat and, as such, wasn’t licensed to carry passengers. However, according to locals, makeshift ferries have always been used to travel along the northern coast, although passengers wouldn’t be as numerous as over 100 people.

Currently, some of the details are yet to be fully cleared up, such as what the disinformation was and where it started from. Mozambique has recorded over 15,000 cases of water-borne diseases, Cholera especially, leading to 32 deaths. The Nampula province has been the worst hit, with over 5,000 of such cases.

This is not the first time disinformation about cholera has led to fatal events. In January, at least three community leaders were killed and 50 houses were destroyed in the Cabo Delgado province, following a wave of disinformation about the causes of cholera.

Also, there’s a discrepancy in the total number of the dead from Monday’s tragic boat capsize. A local official who spoke to the BBC stated that 115 people had died, contrary to the 100 reported by the government. A community leader also said the boat was carrying 150 people, which is more than the 130 cited by the government.