At least 24 people have died after two boats carrying mostly Somali nationals capsized off the coast of Madagascar, local authorities said.

A statement from Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said efforts were underway to "ensure the safe return of the survivors". The two boats carried a total of 70 passengers.

The vessels were discovered adrift off Madagascar's north coast on Saturday in the Indian Ocean. It is believed their engines had failed.

A senior Somalian government official told local media that survivors were rescued by fishermen.

Survivors say they were trying to reach the French island of Mayotte, a common but dangerous route for Somali migrants seeking asylum.

Unemployment and poverty in the Horn of Africa forces many young people to undertake the perilous route to reach Europe in the hopes of a better life.

Madagascan authorities warned against “the severe risks associated with illegal migration” suggesting the victims of the tragedy were migrants.