Over 20 migrants die as boat sinks off Madagascar

BBC News:

Twenty-two migrants were killed when a boat carrying 47 people sunk off the coast of Madagascar on its way to the French island of Mayotte.

Twenty-three people were saved while a search for two still missing was still under way, Madagascar maritime agency said.

The agency said the migrants had covertly taken the boat to Mayotte. It said the incident happened on Saturday.

Most of those who were rescued had fled to avoid being arrested, the Reuters news agency quoted a police officer as saying.