Madagascar: Minister ‘swims for 12 hours’ after helicopter crashes at sea

A government minister in Madagascar has said he swam for 12 hours to safety after his helicopter crashed at sea during a rescue mission.

“It’s not my time to die,” exhausted Police Minister Serge Gelle said as he recovered on a stretcher.

Another security official travelling with him in the helicopter also survived the crash.

The team had been flying to inspect the site of a shipwreck in the north-east of the country on Monday night.