Praia, April 15, 2025 (Lusa) - The president of Cabo Verde, José Maria Neves, said on Tuesday that the rescue of 19 crew members and one passenger from a cargo ship that sank on Monday demonstrates the solidarity, unity and resilience that characterise the country's people, stressing that investigations into the accident are now underway. "At a challenging time, Cabo Verdeans have once again demonstrated the values of solidarity, unity and resilience that characterise us as a people," reads a statement released by the president's office. "Their swift and coordinated action was decisive in ensuring that everyone emerged unscathed from this situation." In the same statement, said he noted "with a sense of relief" the safe rescue of all 19 crew members and one passenger on board the Nhô Padre Benjamim, a vessel operated by the company Verde Lines, which sank off the town of Preguiça, in São Nicolau. The head of state also emphasised his satisfaction with the "prompt and effective action taken by the fishermen and residents, as well as the commitment of the local authorities, which prevented a greater tragedy. "We are now awaiting the conclusions of the ongoing investigations, which will clarify all the circumstances of the accident, identify the causes and, above all, adopt the appropriate measures to reinforce maritime safety and prevent similar situations in the future," he aded. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Tourism and Transport and the Ministry of the Sea expressed their solidarity with those affected yb the shipwreck. "It is with relief that we have received information that all 21 crew members have been rescued alive and are well, thanks to the prompt response of the organisations involved in the rescue," the government ministries said in a joint statement. In the same statement, the government said that it was monitoring the situation and that it trusts in the investigations being carried out by the competent authorities to ascertain the causes of the incident. "We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening maritime safety conditions and supporting the structures that guarantee inter-island transport in our country," the text continues. "At this difficult time, we offer a word of encouragement to the maritime community and, in particular, to the professionals at Verde Lines." So far, the causes of the accident remain unknown and the crew has not yet been questioned by the authorities. Verde Lines runs regular services between the islands of São Nicolau and Sal. RS/ARO // ARO. Lusa