Thursday September 19, 2024
The Loing Canal in Cepoy, southwest of the town. View facing north.
Mogadishu (HOL) — A Somali mother and her four-year-old daughter drowned in the Loing River in northern France on Monday, local reports confirm. The tragedy unfolded in Nemours, located in the Seine-et-Marne region, when the young girl accidentally fell into the river, and her mother drowned while attempting to save her.
Authorities discovered the bodies after police were alerted by nearby residents who heard the mother’s desperate cries for help. Both mother and daughter were pronounced dead at the scene, with no immediate assistance available at the time of the accident.
According to Nemours’ mayor, Valérie Lacroute, the Somali family had only recently moved to the area. The mother’s tragic attempt to rescue her daughter highlights the dangers of the river, which runs through the town.
France is home to about 3000 to 5000, many of whom arrived from other parts of Europe or through irregular migration routes. The country has a population of nearly 67 million, with an estimated six million Muslims, accounting for around 9% of the total population, based on a 2017 study.
Islam is France’s second-largest religion, with the majority of the Muslim community hailing from former French colonies in North and West Africa, including Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. In recent years, there has been an increase in Muslim immigrants from the Middle East as well.
