Three days after the sinking of a whaling boat on the M’poko River, the toll continues to rise. This Monday, civil protection announced a new provisional death toll of at least 62 deaths but according to some witnesses, more than 70 people died in the shipwreck. For its part, the government has declared three days of national mourning while searches continue in surrounding villages.
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With our correspondent in Bangui, Rolf Steve Domia-Leu
Here in the Petevo district in the sixth arrondissement, straws are planted at the side of the road as a sign of mourning. When Magalie, a resident, is asked for news about her mother, the young woman bursts into tears. “ The excavations are continuing but we have not yet found my mother’s body. My father, who was also a victim of the shipwreck, is still in a coma and fighting between life and death “, she testifies.
Faced with the tragedy, the government declared three days of national mourning. “ The Head of State declared Monday 22, Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 April 2024 days of national mourning throughout the CAR. These days of national mourning are not public holidays and all flags are flown at half-mast on all public buildings. », According to Albert Mokpem, presidential spokesperson.
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If Eude Damanzi welcomes this message, he affirms that the survivors have more urgent needs. “Everyone has been waiting for this moment of national mourning but it must not stop here. The authorities must also lend a helping hand to the affected families and the victims who are still in hospital. In this difficult context, humanitarian aid is needed to comfort these families “, he believes.
This Monday, four more bodies were recovered 60 km southwest of the capital. Civil protection has deployed its teams downstream of the river and searches continue in the surrounding villages.
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