Police officials in Angola have confirmed that six people were killed after a boat carrying passengers sank off the coast of the country's capital of Luanda on Saturday, November 16.
The unnamed vessel was transporting devotees who were participating in a Catholic maritime procession when it sank approximately three kilometres off the coast on Saturday.
Search and rescue (SAR) operations were still ongoing as of Monday, November 18. Of those who were on board the boat, six are confirmed dead, 17 were rescued, and at least three others including the captain have been reported as missing.
Among the 17 survivors are four people who are in critical condition and are being treated in hospital, while two of the fatalities have been identified as small children aged six and four, respectively.
Officials said that the tragedy was likely the result of a combination of negligence and bad weather, as the boat had reportedly been overloaded and had sailed into an area with strong waves.