Pope prays at Bata Memorial for Victims of 7 March 2021 blasts

Vatican News 

Pope Leo XIV took time on Wednesday afternoon, as he visited Equatorial Guinea‘s city of Bata, to honour the victims of a tragic series of explosions that rocked the city‘s military base just over five years ago. 

After a visit to the prison where he engaged with authorities and inmates and had words of consolation for those enduring prison sentences, the Pope stopped at the site of the "Memorial Monument for the Victims of the 7 March 2021 Explosions."

Here, before the sombre brick building adorned by plaques with the names of 107 people who lost their lives in the series of blasts, the Pope stepped out of the car and, in the pouring rain, stopped in silent prayer and paid homage to the victims.

A wreath of white roses was placed in front of a sculpture depicting a victim being compassionately embraced.

The tragedy

On 7 March 2021, a series of explosions were recorded at the armoury of the Nkuantoma gendarmerie and military barracks in Bata, the economic capital of Equatorial Guinea.

According to official records, 107 people lost their lives due to the explosions, which also caused extensive damage to residential areas and the military compound. More than 700 people were wounded, including women and children, in the army barracks as well as in the residential areas near the military compound.

The Government described the situation as catastrophic and called for the international community’s support to respond to humanitarian needs.

In response to this request, the United Nations deployed two international teams: a security team to assess unexploded ordnance risks and a humanitarian team to provide immediate medical attention.

Many people were displaced by the explosions, and medical treatment was provided to at least 615 affected people.

The country's only opposition party, the CPDS, described the blasts as "the greatest humanitarian catastrophe in the history of Equatorial Guinea".