The Mozambican government announced today that it is investigating the attack that occurred on 10 May on the Russian oceanographic vessel Atlântida in the sea off Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, an area where terrorist groups remain active.

Axar.az informs, citing Club of Mozambique, “At this moment, the investigations are ongoing and as soon as there are concrete results and we confirm what actually happened, the government will, with full transparency, provide clarifications to the public and the international community,” government spokesman Inocêncio Impissa told reporters in Maputo.

The issue is an alleged attack on a Russian vessel, confirmed on 16 May by an official source at the Russian Embassy in Maputo. According to the source, the 62-metre ship, which was carrying out marine research work, was returning to the port of Maputo when, at around 3:00 p.m. local time on May 10, it was attacked more than three miles off the coast of Tambuzi Island, in the Quirimbas archipelago.

“It was attacked by two unknown vessels, which did not make contact with the ship, but opened fire on it,” the source explained, stating that the perpetrator of the attack remains unknown.

The ship then stopped in Maputo before heading for Durban, South Africa.

Inocêncio Impissa told journalists that the government had not yet received formal notification from the Russian Embassy regarding the incident, but added that Mozambique was already investigating the alleged attack, saying that it was “committed” to security in its territorial waters.

Local sources have already associated this incident with attacks by terrorist groups operating in that region. If confirmed, it would be the first of its kind.