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Mayotte: despite the passage of the cyclone, illegal migrants continue the crossing
Mayotte: despite the passage of the cyclone, illegal migrants continue the crossing
(France 2)
The passage of Cyclone Chido in Mayotte caused nearly 40 deaths and immense material damage. But it has not stopped the arrival of illegal migrants from the Comoros. Some took advantage of the temporary cessation of certain patrols.
A few kilometers from the coast of Mayotte (Overseas), Friday January 10, gendarmes arrested 25 illegal migrants crammed into a kwassa kwassa. Usually, this crossing costs them between 150 and 400 euros per person. But since the cyclone a month ago, prices have exploded with demand. All will be brought to land in Mayotte before being transferred to a detention center.
The force of the wind destroyed several radars very useful for spotting kwassa kwassa, as well as two control boats found stranded on the Mahoran coast. These daily arrivals of migrants are nothing new, but have been sources of tension since the passage of the cyclone. In a slum in Kawéni, a Comorian family agreed to tell their story. The father says to himself “relieved” to have been able to reunite all his children, whose trip cost “1 000 euros”. One of the sons says he hopes to find work in Mayotte thanks to the reconstruction needs.
Watch the full report in the video above
