Joseph Isangura
The body of Tanzanian seafarer Mchama Mongu, who died while on duty in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has arrived in the country through Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on May 18, 2026.
The remains were received by government officials, relatives, friends, and other mourners in an emotional ceremony at the airport.
Mongu died on May 3, 2026, after the tugboat Volans, on which he was working, was reportedly struck during a bomb attack in the Strait of Hormuz while en route from the UAE to Oman.
Speaking after receiving the body, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC), Captain Mussa Mandia, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, through the Tanzania Consulate General in Dubai, for coordinating efforts with various stakeholders to facilitate the repatriation of the late Mongu.
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Captain Mandia also called on ship owners and maritime operators to prioritize the safety of seafarers by avoiding deployment of vessels in high-risk maritime zones, emphasizing the need for stronger protection measures for workers at sea.
The body has been preserved at Lugalo Military Hospital in Dar es Salaam, while burial arrangements are scheduled for May 21, 2026, at Makoko Cemetery in Mwisenge, Musoma, Mara Region.
Other officials who attended the reception include the Acting Director of the Middle East Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Selemani Nyange; TASAC Director General Mohamed Salum; and the Secretary-General of the Tanzania Seafarers Union (TASU), Captain Josiah Mwakibuja.
