(TheIndependentStar.com) – In a harrowing development, 24 people tragically died during a maritime disaster off Madagascar’s coast.
Two boats carrying mostly Somali nationals capsized, exposing the ongoing crisis of migrants risking their lives to reach European territories.
The vessels carried a total of 70 passengers and were found adrift in the Indian Ocean, likely due to engine failure.
Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now working to ensure the safe return of the survivors who local fishermen rescued.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure the survivors are brought back home safely and provided with the necessary care,” said Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi.
The passengers were trying to reach the French island of Mayotte, a common route for Somali migrants seeking asylum.
Madagascan authorities warned about the “severe risks associated with illegal migration,” confirming that the victims were indeed migrants.
The U.N. migration agency has expressed concern over increasing irregular migration from the Horn of Africa due to conflict and drought.
However, critics argue that these issues need to be addressed through proper channels and international aid rather than encouraging illegal and dangerous journeys.
This tragedy is not an isolated incident. In April, 38 migrants died and 22 were rescued from a shipwreck off Djibouti on a route to Yemen, with most being Somali and Ethiopian nationals.
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