The family of Fathi Hussein, a beauty salon owner from Mogadishu, is mourning her tragic death after a failed attempt to reach the French island of Mayotte, where she hoped for a better future. According to her stepsister, Samira, survivors reported that Fathi died of starvation after being stranded at sea for 14 days.
The family learned of her death from other Somali migrants who were rescued by fishermen off the coast of Madagascar. These survivors told them that Fathi had been aboard one of two small boats, abandoned by smugglers in the Indian Ocean. In desperate conditions, the passengers ate raw fish and drank seawater, but Fathi refused. She reportedly began hallucinating before dying, and her body was thrown into the ocean.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed that more than 70 people were on the two boats when they capsized. Twenty-four people died, while 48 survived. The incident underscores the deadly risk many migrants face trying to reach Mayotte, a French island about 300 kilometers from Madagascar, with hundreds of lives believed to be lost each year.
Fathi, who had a successful beauty salon business in Mogadishu, kept her plans a secret from her family. She confided in only her younger sister, revealing that she had spent the money she earned from her salon to pay smugglers. Samira expressed disbelief over her sister’s decision to embark on such a dangerous journey, especially since Fathi had always been afraid of the ocean
According to survivors, the smugglers initially put all the passengers on one boat, but when it broke down, they transferred everyone to two smaller boats, assuring them they would reach Mayotte in just three hours. However, the journey stretched into 14 days. Some survivors believe the smugglers abandoned them once they had been paid, with no intention of completing the journey.
Frantz Celestin, an official from the IOM, stated that such deadly journeys are becoming more common, with migrants frequently passing through Comoros and Madagascar on their way to Mayotte. The cost of the dangerous voyage is about $6,000 per person, with half paid upfront. Smugglers advertise larger boats, but in reality, they often use small, unsafe fishing boats known as “kwassa.”
The French government has not yet commented on the tragedy, but Somalia’s Foreign Minister has said that efforts are underway to contact the survivors and bring them back home. Fathi’s family reported one of the smugglers involved in her journey to the authorities, but he was released on bail. Samira expressed the overwhelming grief of not knowing how her sister spent her final moments, wishing she could have spoken to her and said goodbye before her untimely death.