The vessel, an overloaded fishing boat, was not licensed to transport people, according to Lourenco Machado, an administrator of the country's Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR).

The boat was ferrying people from Lunga in Nampula province to Mozambique Island when it capsized. Initial reports suggest that a tidal wave hit the overcrowded boat, leading to the disaster.

The passengers were reportedly fleeing a cholera outbreak, a crisis that Mozambique and other countries in Southern Africa have been battling since last year.

“Because the boat was overcrowded and unsuited to carry passengers, it ended up sinking," Jaime Neto, secretary of state for Nampula province, confirmed, adding that many children were among the dead.

Videos posted on social media showed many bodies lying on a beach and some people carrying the bodies of children. Some people had been travelling to attend a fair.

Many areas of Mozambique are only accessible by boats, which are often overcrowded due to the country's poor road network. Some areas are unreachable by land or air, making boats the only viable mode of transportation, despite the risks involved. (ILKHA)