Cape Verdean Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva this Wednesday acknowledged the “courage and dedication” of the operatives who fought the fire in Serra da Malagueta, Santiago Island, which killed nine people.
“The bravery and involvement of the military, firefighters and civil defense personnel is undeniable and deserves our recognition for being able to control and put out the fire. Nothing can replace the pain of losing these children in their prime. Although we offer words of comfort, we understand that the pain is enormous,” said the head of government of San Vicente.
Ulisses Correia and Silva participated this Wednesday on this island in the funeral ceremonies of two of the eight soldiers who were victims of a traffic accident that occurred on Sunday in Santiago while extinguishing a fire in the Serra da Malagueta.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families of the eight young soldiers who gave their lives in full service to the country. Progress in establishing the causes of the accident and possible liability,” the Prime Minister said.
Cape Verde celebrated the second of two days of national official mourning following the death of eight soldiers and equipment from the Ministry of the Environment while fighting a forest fire that destroyed 200 hectares of land over the weekend.
“The deaths that have occurred represent an irreparable loss for the families, for the government and for the entire people of Cape Verde,” the Council of Ministers said in a decree that approved the official national mourning.
The decree establishes that the national flag is flown at half mast in all public buildings in the country, as well as in the diplomatic and consular missions of Cape Verde, with the cancellation of spectacles and public demonstrations.
At stake is the fight against a fire that broke out on Saturday at 10:30 (12:30 in Lisbon) in Serra Malagueta and Figueira das Naus, 50 km north of Praia. On Sunday afternoon around 5:20 p.m. (7:20 p.m. in Lisbon), a Cape Verdean Armed Forces vehicle went off the track, killing eight soldiers and also killing a PNSM technician. in these operations.
“The government deeply regrets the fateful events that took the lives of people who carried out a noble and difficult mission along with the firefighters of Tarrafal and Assomada,” the resolution on national official mourning says.
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMFA) of Cape Verde, Antonio Duarte, assured on Monday that an investigation is underway into the causes that led to the accident, which killed eight soldiers fighting the fire.
At a press conference held in Praia, CEMFA said that while transporting 31 soldiers to support firefighting in Serra da Malagueta “for reasons yet to be determined”, the military vehicle collided and overturned, killing five operators immediately. . Ultimately, two soldiers died in the Tarrafal Medical Battalion and one in the Santiago Norte Detachment, in addition to 23 wounded, eight of whom are still in Praia Hospital.
The fire forced the evacuation of ten families from the city of Figueira das Naus, but the national police, however, announced the arrest of a man suspected of setting fire to this park.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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