MAPUTO, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- A canoe transporting 16 people in central Tete province shipwrecked, killing three people with seven still missing, Mozambique police authorities confirmed Monday.
Joint rescue operations by Mozambican police and Armed Forces told Xinhua that six people were found alive and the rescue was continuing to identify the others.
"The shipwreck occurred at around 7 a.m. in the morning on Monday, most of the victims are children and young people," said Isabel Francisco, one of the eyewitness, told Xinhua.
The police said they suspect that the tragedy occurred because the canoe with capacity of 12 people carried more than 15.
"We appeal transporters of small ship vessels not to carry more than what they can, because this might cause shipwrecks. When there is small wind or a wave, shipwrecks easily happen because of overload," the police spokesperson Lurdes Ferreira said.
Last week a shipwreck happened in southern Inhambane province which left four people dead with two others missing.
