Minister of Madagascar swims 12 hours after his helicopter crashed into the sea: “The time to die has not yet come for me”

A minister of Madagascar He was one of the two survivors after his helicopter crashed off the northeast coast of the large African island, and he swam for almost 12 hours to land, Malagasy authorities reported.

This Tuesday the search for two other passengers continued after the accident that occurred the day before, and whose causes have not yet been established, the police and port authorities indicated.

The general Serge Gelle, Secretary of State for the country’s Police, and a colleague from the institution reached land in the coastal city of Mahambo, separately this Tuesday morning, apparently after throwing themselves from the aircraft, according to the head of the port authority, Jean Edmond Randrianantenaina .

In a video posted on social networks, Gelle, 57 years old, appears exhausted lying on a deck chair, still in camouflage uniform.

“The time to die has not yet come for me”the general declared, adding that he felt cold but had not suffered injuries.

Gella he became minister last August, in the framework of a cabinet reorganization after three decades of service in the Police.

The helicopter was taking him along with other officials to inspect the site where a shipwreck occurred on Monday off the northeast coast of the island country.

At least 21 people died and another 60 have been declared missing in the disaster, according to the latest official balance, this Tuesday.

Zafisambatra Ravoavy, another police general, told AFP that Gelle used one of the helicopter’s seats as a float.

“He has always shown great resistance, in sport, and has maintained it as a minister, as if he were 30 years old”, he pointed. “He has nerves of steel”, he added to explain the feat.

_____________________________