About 64 undocumented Ethiopian nationals allegedly suffocated in Mozambique’s Tete province while travelling in a truck to South Africa, state-run Radio Mozambique reported on Tuesday.
Quoting Tete provincial health director Carla Mosse, the Maputo-based broadcaster said the victims were found in a tanker truck which was on its way to South Africa.
“The Immigration Service flagged down a container truck in Moatize, supposedly from Ethiopia.
“Sixty four Ethiopians were found dead and it is presumed that the death was asphyxiated,” Mosse was quoted as saying.
There were 14 survivors.
Tete has been the entry point preferred by illegal immigrants from Asia and the Great Lakes region, most of them coming through neighbouring Malawi.
They are often transported under deplorable conditions by sometimes Malawian or Mozambican facilitators.
Mozambique has seen a high number of illegal immigrants in the last few years, many en route to neighbouring South Africa, the second biggest economy in Africa.
CM/jn/APA