The official stressed that the vessels selected for the event put to sea accompanied by the protection of defense and security bodies and the captaincy, reinforcing that the injured vessel was not on the itinerary
The sinking of a vessel on Saturday afternoon, on the island of Luanda, caused four deaths and 13 injuries, according to a provisional assessment made by a fire department source.
According to the spokesperson for Civil Protection and Fire Services, Wilson Baptista, the accident involved a fishing vessel, which joined the maritime procession promoted by the parish of Nossa Senhora do Cabo, patron saint of sailors, on the island of Luanda.
Wilson Baptista said that the vessel that sank, in the area of the final point, was not part of those selected for this activity, departing from the Fisheries Research Institute on the Island of Luanda.
“This vessel came from the Samba region, overcrowded, aggravated by the fact that the vessel’s captain was probably under the influence of alcoholic beverages. She was seen making some dangerous maneuvers, which would have contributed to this tragic end,” he highlighted.
The rescued victims are at the Endiama clinic, on the Island of Luanda, but four of them were in serious condition, with no information on the evolution of their clinical condition, highlighted the fire department spokesperson.
The same source said that “it is suspected that there are more people [sem vida] taking into account the report of relatives of people who were on board and who are missing”.
He added that rescue teams are in the field maneuvering to access a practically inaccessible part of the vessel, as it is overturned, to confirm whether there are other bodies, remembering that “the possibility of there being survivors is remote”.
The official stressed that the vessels selected for the event put to sea accompanied by the protection of defense and security bodies and the captaincy, reinforcing that the accident vessel was not on the itinerary.
The accident occurred in the contracoast area, an area with many waves, and the vessel was dragged into the bay area.
“Right now the tide is low and this is creating some constraints in our operations, that is, our divers do not see space to enter the desired area”, he highlighted.
The rescue operation involves the participation of the maritime police, public order police, firefighters, navy, local administration and captaincy of Luanda.
