Two Zambia students on the Zambia /Algeria Government Scholarships drowned on Sunday in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the statement released to the media by Head of Public relations at the Ministry of Health Stanslous Ngosa, Minister of Health Hon Dr Chitalu Chilufya, who is Acting Minister of Higher Education, confirmed the incident on Monday in Lusaka and identified the deceased as Kelvin Musanda, 19 and Innocent Kawilo Kangwa, 20.
Kelvin was a first year student in Material Science while Innocent was a first year student in Electrical Engineering.
The deceased met their fate while in the company of a Zambian Community and other foreign students, based in Tlemcem, Algeria who had gone to the Beach to celebrate the completion of the French Language instruction by the first year students.
A strong wind swept Kelvin and in a bid to rescue him by Innocent, was also taken by the wave resulting in both students drowning.
They were both retrieved from the Sea but pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
The statement further sought to assure the country that the Government, through the Zambian Embassy in Cairo, responsible for Algeria is doing everything possible to repatriate the remains of its students back to Zambia. The Education Attaché is being sent to Algeria to coordinate the process.
“As a caring Government, we are profoundly saddened by this tragic loss of vibrant young Zambians. We request the rest of the Nation to put the families of the deceased Zambian students in their prayers,” concluded the statement
