24 Dead After Two Boats Sink off Madagascar

Somalia’s government reported on Sunday that 24 people perished after two boats capsized off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

According to Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, 46 individuals were rescued from the disaster.

He stated that authorities are diligently working to ensure the safe return and proper care of the survivors.

The majority of the passengers were young Somali citizens, and their intended destination remains unknown. Many young Somalis undertake perilous journeys annually in hopes of finding better opportunities abroad.

A delegation, headed by Somalia’s ambassador to Ethiopia, is scheduled to travel to Madagascar on Monday to investigate the incident and coordinate aid for the survivors.

Fiqi also mentioned on Sunday that Somalia’s ambassador to Morocco is investigating a separate report concerning Somali youth stranded on Morocco’s coast. The timing of the Moroccan incident is unclear, and Fiqi did not provide further details.

The UN migration agency has previously expressed concern over the increasing number of irregular migration cases from Horn of Africa nations, as people flee conflict and drought.

In April, a shipwreck off Djibouti, a common route to Yemen, resulted in the deaths of 38 migrants; 22 others were rescued. Most of the survivors were Somali and Ethiopian nationals.