At least 18 African refugees drowned off the coast of the Comoros after smugglers dropped them into the water some distance from shore as they attempted to reach the French island of Mayotte, officials and rescuers said Thursday. Approximately 30 others survived the incident.

The victims had been set adrift near the town of Mitsamiouli, located on the northern tip of Grande Comore, the largest island of the Comoros. Many of them could not swim. Survivors reported that they had traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo and were headed to Mayotte, a French overseas territory that often attracts migrants with its French infrastructure and social services.

A 25-year-old survivor recounted his arduous journey from North Kivu: "I spent three days in the forest. Then I took a bus to Dar es Salaam. From there, we took a boat. The journey lasted seven days," he told the French news agency AFP. "Very quickly, we could tell the captain was lost. At one point, we had no bread or water." Security officials estimated that around 50 people were on board the vessel.

A local resident in Mitsamiouli recalled hearing cries from the water before arriving at the scene: "We were watching the Barcelona-Newcastle match when we heard screams. We found men, women, children — they thought they had reached Mayotte." In reality, they were nearly 200 kilometers short of their destination.

Mayotte, despite being France's poorest department, remains a powerful draw for migrants from across Africa and the Comoros. Many pay smugglers for the perilous sea crossing, where thousands have died along the route in recent years, according to the United Nations' migration agency. The agency noted that in 2024, at least 25 people died near Mayotte when a smuggling boat capsized.

On Grande Comore, residents, fishermen, and authorities pulled bodies from the water, as reported by the Comoros' interior minister. He added that the coastguard is still searching for four missing bodies.

Source: www.dw.com