A survivor from last Friday’s tragic sinking of a migrant boat off the Comoros has alleged that smugglers deliberately sank the vessel, leaving 25 people to drown. Speaking anonymously to AFP, the 19-year-old survivor said the traffickers sabotaged the boat, allowed water to flood in, and then fled on a separate speedboat, leaving those on board to perish.
The boat, carrying around 30 migrants from Anjouan to the French department of Mayotte, capsized with only five passengers surviving.
An investigation into the incident has been launched, and Comorian authorities are gathering details to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Many migrants attempt the hazardous crossing from Anjouan to Mayotte, despite the significant risks, seeking better opportunities in the French territory.
This latest incident adds to a growing number of similar tragedies along this dangerous route. Since August, two other boats have capsized in the area, with numerous lives lost.
