- The victims were Mozambican, Tanzanian and Malawian nationals
- A team dispatched from Maputo is conducting an investigation to establish the cause of the fire
By MOZTIMES
Metangula (MOZTIMES) – Three people died in a fire aboard the passenger and cargo vessel Chambo on Sunday in the Tanzanian waters of Lake Niassa, said Omar Magido, the local representative of the National Maritime Transport Institute (ITRANSMAR).
The three victims were Tanzanian, Malawian and Mozambican nationals. The Mozambican victim was a child, according to Magido. He gave an interview on Monday to Metangula/Lago Community Radio.
The vessel, which transported passengers and cargo between communities along the lakeshore, caught fire in Tanzanian waters and was completely engulfed in flames. An unspecified number of passengers used life jackets and were rescued by small fishing boats. The cargo was entirely destroyed by the fire.
“According to what we established on the ground, the fire started in the vessel’s own installation equipment, near the bow. That is where the short circuit started. There was cargo on board, including mattresses, and the fire spread to them. With the strong wind, it spread throughout the vessel in a short time. And the whole boat burnt down,” Magido said.
However, the ITRANSMAR representative denied that the vessel was carrying fuel (petrol) at the time of the fire, as some local residents have claimed.
“As the maritime transport regulator, we always advise crews not to load substances such as fuel, and our port has never handled fuel. They know very well that the Mozambican authorities prohibit the movement and transport of fuel. It is very difficult to manage when there are people on board,” Magido said.
According to Magido, an inquiry led by a team dispatched from Maputo will begin on Tuesday, involving the crew and surviving passengers, to establish the cause of the fire.
The Chambo was the only safe means of passenger transport on Lake Niassa. Following the fire, passenger and cargo transport now depends on small fishing boats, which are considered unsafe.
“For now, we will maintain transport using small vessels. But, as the Chambo was managed centrally, the central government will consider how to serve the population around the lake,” the representative said.
Magido added that all Mozambican survivors are back in Mozambique, while the body of the Malawian victim was repatriated to the neighbouring country yesterday, Monday. The remains of the Tanzanian victim stayed in Tanzania, where the incident occurred. (MT)
