Survivors and the families of victims of a 2021 insurgent attack in Mozambique have lodged a complaint against TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), alleging negligence and indirect manslaughter. They assert that the company neglected to guarantee the safety of its subcontractors.
TotalEnergies has rebuffed the accusations, asserting that they are “inaccurate.”
In March 2021, Islamist insurgents launched an assault on the port city of Palma, resulting in the loss of numerous civilian lives in regions near the Mozambique LNG infrastructure projects, which are partially owned by TotalEnergies.
The plaintiffs, consisting of three survivors and four relatives of victims who perished in an ambush, assert that TotalEnergies neglected to inform subcontractors about potential attack risks or the developments of such attacks. They also contend that the company lacked adequate safety measures and evacuation plans.
According to the complaint, a private security company’s helicopter, which was involved in rescuing individuals seeking refuge in a hotel, was halted due to a fuel shortage. The complaint further asserts that TotalEnergies declined a request for fuel, citing its reluctance to be linked with a private security firm.
The plaintiffs stated that certain subcontractors attempted to flee the hotel in a convoy of vehicles, but they were subsequently ambushed, resulting in multiple fatalities.
“It’s quite rare to presume that a company could be indicted and prosecuted for indirect manslaughter … But here you have a series of negligences that contributed to a situation that allowed the loss of many lives,” said Henri Thulliez, a lawyer who represents the plaintiffs.
“It is not alleged that TotalEnergies directly caused the deaths of victims but that the company did not act in accordance with the expected diligence standards of a professional in its responsibilities,” lawyers for the plaintiffs said in a statement.
TotalEnergies refuted the allegations, asserting that it did indeed have a security plan in place and had executed it.
“During the attack on the city of Palma, and according to the information we have, all Mozambique LNG personnel and their contractors and subcontractors were evacuated,” TotalEnergies said.
The company explained that the security plan of the Mozambique LNG group involved subcontractors seeking shelter in place and subsequently being evacuated by ferry.
TotalEnergies mentioned that the security situation in the region has shown improvement, and they intend to resume the project before the year’s end.
