Somalia says 24 people have died after 2 boats capsized in the Indian Ocean

The east coast of Africa, including Somalia, Madagascar and the Indian Ocean, are pictured in this screengrab (Google Maps)

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Twenty-four people died after two boats capsized off the Madagascar coast in the Indian Ocean, Somalia's government said Sunday.

Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said 46 people were rescued.

“We are working tirelessly to ensure the survivours are brought back home safely and provided with the necessary care,” he said.

Most of the passengers were young Somalis, and their intended destination remains unclear. Many young Somalis embark every year on dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities abroad.

A delegation led by the Somali ambassador to Ethiopia is scheduled to travel to Madagascar on Monday to investigate the incident and coordinate efforts to help survivors.

Fiqi also said Sunday that Somalia's ambassador to Morocco will look into a separate report of Somali youth stranded on Morocco’s coastline. It is not clear when the Morocco incident took place and Fiqi did not provide details.

The UN migration agency has in the past raised concern over rising cases of irregular migration from the Horn of Africa countries as people flee from conflict and drought.

In April, 38 migrants died and 22 others were rescued from a shipwreck off Djibouti on a popular route to Yemen. Most of those rescued were of Somali and Ethiopian nationalities.