18 Migrants Drown in Attempt to Reach Mayotte Island. Moroni, Comoros — March 20, 2026 Lead Paragraph: At least 18 African migrants attempting to reach the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte from the Comoros have drowned, officials and rescuers reported on Thursday.
The tragic incident involved a group of approximately 50 people who were abandoned by smugglers in the sea, far from the shore.
While around 30 survivors made it to the beach, many were unable to swim and drowned.
The survivors, who claimed to be from the Democratic Republic of Congo, were heading to Mayotte, a popular destination due to its French infrastructure and welfare system. Despite being France’s poorest department, Mayotte remains an attractive destination for migrants from the African continent and the poorer Comoros, seeking a better life.
According to the Interior Ministry, the deceased included two children aged three and ten, as well as two Burundians.
The United Nations representative James Tsok Bot noted that this was the first time there had been a loss of life during such crossings to Mayotte. One survivor, a 25-year-old from North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, described the journey, which included spending three days in the forest and enduring severe hardship.
He mentioned that the boat’s captain became lost, and they ran out of food and water at one point.
Local residents from Mitsamiouli, about 40 kilometers from the capital Moroni, were among those who helped with the rescue. They recounted finding men, women, and children on a sandbank, believing they had arrived in Mayotte, only to find that they were still a short distance from the shore.
The situation raises concerns about the risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Mayotte. Further details regarding the incident are expected to be released in the coming days.
