Tragedy at Sea: 25 Lives Lost as Traffickers Capsize Migrant Boat Off Comoros
Tragedy at Sea: 25 Lives Lost as Traffickers Capsize Migrant Boat Off Comoros
- At least 25 people, including women and children, have tragically died
- Fishermen were able to rescue five survivors
- Nearly half of Comoros' 900,000 residents live below the poverty line
At least 25 people, including women and children, have tragically died after traffickers intentionally capsized their boat off the coast of Comoros, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The incident occurred late on Friday night between the island of Anjouan in Comoros and the French island of Mayotte, a route that has seen numerous migrant fatalities over the years, as highlighted in an IOM statement on Monday.
Fishermen were able to rescue five survivors the following morning.
These individuals reported that the boat was carrying around 30 people from various nationalities, including seven women and at least six young children.
“IOM Comoros is deeply saddened by the deaths of at least 25 individuals whose boat was deliberately capsized by traffickers,” the organization stated.
Anjouan, one of the three islands in the impoverished nation of Comoros, is located approximately 70 kilometers (44 miles) northwest of Mayotte, which has been a French department since 2011.
Although Mayotte is France’s poorest department, it benefits from French infrastructure and welfare services, prompting some refugees from Comoros to pay smugglers for perilous crossings in poorly equipped fishing boats known as “kwassa-kwassa.”
Nearly half of Comoros’ 900,000 residents live below the poverty line, and many lack access to basic healthcare.
The IOM noted that a report from the French Senate estimated that between 7,000 and 10,000 people perished while attempting to cross from Comoros to Mayotte between 1995 and 2012, although the actual number may be much higher.
Migrants are thought to constitute nearly half of Mayotte’s population, which is around 320,000, with 95% of these being Comorans, according to 2017 French statistics.
The Muslim-majority Comoros archipelago, located between Mozambique and Madagascar, was once a French colony. In 1974, Mayotte opted to remain part of France while the other islands sought independence and formed the Comoros.
The IOM also pointed out that there have been two similar incidents in the same area over the past three months. In September, a boat carrying 12 people, including two children and a pregnant woman, left Anjouan but never arrived in Mayotte. In August, another incident claimed the lives of eight individuals, including a 12-year-old boy.
