Seven perish in Indian Ocean boat tragedy — World — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

Seven individuals from Comoros, together with a pregnant lady and her kids, died of hunger when their boat broke down and drifted over 1,100 kilometres to the Kenyan coast, a coastguard official mentioned Wednesday.

Survivors advised of their grim three-week ordeal when catastrophe struck shortly after 15 relations set off on a two-day voyage from the Comoros island of Ndzuwani to France’s Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte.

The boat’s propeller fell into the water and heavy winds pushed the vessel in the direction of the Kenyan resort of Malindi, over 1,100 kilometres (700 miles) away, Kenya Coast Guard Service’s head of public affairs Kenneth Sabila advised AFP.

“They have been helpless and couldn’t management the boat,” he mentioned, including that they have been on the mercy of the robust Indian Ocean waves for 22 days.

The pregnant lady, her husband and two kids have been among the many seven who died when meals rations ran out.

Surviving kin advised Kenya’s Day by day Nation they have been pressured to throw their decomposing our bodies overboard to remain afloat.

The eight who made it to Kenya survived on uncooked fish and saltwater and have been noticed by native fishermen on Monday, unconscious, weak and dehydrated.

One of many survivors, Mahmoud Hassan, advised the Day by day Nation that every one 15 onboard belonged to 1 household.

“It is by God’s grace that I am alive,” one other, Nassiru Tawidu, 28, was quoted as saying, by way of tears.

One of many fishermen who discovered the survivors advised the paper that the boat was in unhealthy form they usually couldn’t have survived one other evening on the excessive seas.

“The Kenyan navy despatched medical personnel to take care of them,” mentioned the coastguard’s Sabila, including that the authorities had been in contact with their kin by way of the Comoros consulate.

The household’s motive for the voyage was not instantly identified.

Mayotte has lately seen a large inflow of migrants from Comoros, its comparatively poor and unstable neighbour, and more and more additionally from nations in sub-Saharan Africa.