Government decrees three days of national mourning after Nampula shipwreck

Maputo, 10 Apr (AIM) – The Mozambican government on Tuesday decreed three days of national mourning following the death of at least 98 people in the shipwreck that occurred on Sunday evening off the coast of Mozambique Island, in the northern province of Nampula.

According to government spokesperson and deputy justice minister, Filimão Suaze, who was speaking to reporters at the end of a meeting of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), in Maputo, the government has also created a commission of enquiry look into the circumstances, causes and responsibilities for the accident, as well as making recommendations to prevent similar disasters in the future.

“The government is grateful for the solidarity shown in rescuing and helping the victims of the shipwreck. We are encouraging the local authorities and the private sector, and calling on relatives, neighbors and the population in general to continue providing support, whenever necessary and under the conditions possible”, he said.

The government, the deputy justice minister said, has also condemned the wave of misinformation related to the alleged spread of cholera in Lunga administrative post, in Mossuril district, which led to the mass evacuation of the population to other locations by sea.

“The authorities are going to step up community awareness-raising activities to prevent further accidents”, he said.

The boat was carrying panic stricken people who said they were fleeing from an outbreak of cholera. But the authorities did not confirm if there was any cholera in Lunga. Wild claims were made that people died within five minutes of contracting the disease – and cholera certainly does not cause such near instantaneous mortality.

There have been cholera outbreaks across the northern provinces, sometimes accompanied by disinformation blaming local officials and health workers for deliberately spreading the disease. The alleged mass deaths in Lunga are another cholera rumour, and one with fatal results.

The people fleeing from cholera persuaded the crew of the fishing boat to take them on board and carry them to Mozambique Island, where they believed they would have easy access to a health unit.

But the sea was rough, and as the boat approached a Mozambique Island beach, a large wave surprised the crew and overturned the boat, spilling all its passengers into the water. This beach is regarded as dangerous for bathers and so there were few people to come to the rescue.

(AIM)

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