At least 22 Somalis dead after boats capsize off Madagascar, official says

MOGADISHU/ANTANANARIVO — 

At slightest 22 Somali citizens died erstwhile 2 migrant boats capsized disconnected the seashore of Madagascar implicit the weekend, Somalia's Information Minister Daud Aweis said.

Madagascar's Port, Maritime, and River Authority (APMF) said the boats had acceptable sail from Somalia for the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte connected Nov. 2, a travel of respective 100 kilometers.

On Saturday, the larboard authorization reported that section fishermen discovered the archetypal vessel drifting connected Friday adjacent Nosy Iranja. They rescued 25 people, including 10 men and 15 women, but 7 occupants died, the authorization said.

A 2nd vessel carrying 38 radical arrived astatine Madagascar's Port du Cratère, according to APMF. The maritime authorization did not disclose a decease toll for the 2nd vessel but confirmed the rescue of 23 people.

Somali Information Minister Aweis, citing accusation from his counterparts successful Madagascar, confirmed the full decease toll astatine 22.

"They were astir 70 Somalis, 22 of them died. One vessel was carrying 38 radical and the different vessel was carrying 32 people," Aweis said connected state-owned tv precocious connected Sunday.

In caller decades thousands of radical person attempted to marque the crossing to Mayotte, which has a higher modular of surviving and entree to the French payment system.

Mayotte is officially portion of France, though Comoros claims it.

Aweis said Somalia volition analyse wherever the boats sailed from, terming those who organized the travel arsenic criminals progressive successful illicit immigration.

"This is besides a connection of informing to those who privation to immigrate illegally earlier they spell and dice successful specified manner. It is unfortunate radical inactive spell contempt danger," helium added.

In aboriginal November, astatine slightest 25 radical died disconnected Comoros islands aft traffickers capsized their boat.