Ninety-eight people lost their lives following the shipwreck that occurred early Sunday afternoon on the island of Mozambique, according to official sources.

Quoted by the national press, the administrator of Ilha de Moçambique, Silvério João Nawaito, said that several teams were involved in the process of rescuing the victims.

 The source also said that some technicians were working on the seafront and other staff were coordinating the funeral ceremonies taking place in the neighborhoods of the Lumbo administrative post and on the main island.

 By 12 noon on Monday, 40 funerals had taken place. The shipwreck, it should be noted, was caused by the overcrowding of the boat that was carrying some residents of Lunga, in the Mossuril district, to Ilha de Moçambique who were allegedly trying to get rid of the cholera that had broken out in that region of Nampula province, said Nawaito, quoted by Notícias.

According to the statement sent to the media, the Council of the Provincial Services of State Representation of Nampula indicates that the main causes of the shipwreck were the inappropriate use of the vessel to transport passengers and its overcrowding.

Related authorities are carrying out laboratory tests to see if there are any signs of cholera among the survivors.

At the moment, according to Silvério Nawaito, the health units on the island of Mozambique are on alert to control any possible spread of the disease.