UN sends team to support shipwreck survivors in northern Mozambique

The United Nations has sent a team to support Mozambican authorities and help survivors and families affected by a shipwreck that killed 98 people in the north of the country, the organization said.

“A team including representatives of the United Nations has been dispatched to the area to support national authorities’ response efforts and provide support to survivors and families affected by this tragedy,” said UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Mozambique Catherine Sozi . in a statement released today.

“The United Nations stands ready to assist Mozambique and reiterates its readiness to support the government in its response to natural disasters,” Sozi said.

The official expressed deep sadness over the loss of life, “many of whom were children,” in the shipwreck at Lunga administrative post in Mossouril district, Nampula province.

The owner and person in charge of the vessel have been detained, Nampula police spokeswoman Rosa Chauk told Lusa on Tuesday.

The two “have already received medical attention and are currently in police custody,” Chauk said.

The accident killed 98 people, including 55 children, 34 women and nine men, while 16 survived out of the approximately 130 on board.

According to Mozambican maritime authorities, the fishing vessel did not have a permit to carry passengers and was not capable of doing so, and the people it was carrying were fleeing a cholera outbreak on the mainland and heading to the island of Mozambique, where the sinking occurred. about 100 meters from the shore.

The Mozambican government has announced it will meet today to discuss measures to “minimize the impact” of the flooding.

“The President of the Republic, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, received with deep sadness the news of the sinking of a ship leaving the administrative post of Lungo in the district of Mossuril and heading to Nacala,” the presidential office said in a statement on Monday. Republic.

The head of state sent a government delegation led by Transport and Communications Minister Matheus Magala to provide “assistance and guidance to the survivors, as well as to conduct an investigation to assess the causes that led to this tragedy,” he added.

“It is important to note that soon after the head of state became aware of this tragedy, he instructed provincial institutions at various levels to mobilize rescue teams and situation analysis teams. In light of this tragedy, the Government of Mozambique will meet (…) to assess the situation and take the necessary measures to minimize the consequences of this incident,” the statement said.

Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Communications said on Monday at a cross-sectoral meeting in Nampula to review the incident that authorities were “reflecting” on the sinking to ensure “it never happens again.”

Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo, opposition) President Ossufo Momade was also “deeply alarmed” by the sinking and called for national mourning.

“We demand that the government declare national mourning and that this moment be recognized by the authorities as another sign of negligence and lack of public safety,” Ossufo Momade wrote on his official Facebook account.

“We were very touched and concerned to learn that the vessel in question was a fishing vessel and was not designed to carry people, which made us think about the need for maritime safety,” added the leader of the largest opposition party.