Antananarivo – At least 14 people were killed and another 26 missing in a shipwreck in western Madagascar, a statement from the National Bureau of risks and disasters management said on Tuesday.

Ten out of about 50 to 60 passengers were rescued, the bureau said in the statement.

According to the statement, a 10-tonnes-wire canoe sank Monday on the river of Tsiribihina.

It carried about 3.5 tonnes of goods, including fish from a village called Amboloando, about 700km west of Madagascar’s capital.

The sinking occurred when the canoe hit a tree trunk under the water, the statement said.

The chief of the region of Menabe, who is first local administrative Authority in this area, led a massive delegation, and is currently on road to Belo Sur Tsiribihina to inspect the situation.

Local government also launched since on Tuesday morning, a call for solidarity to search people who are still missing.

The bureau activated its operations centre and stands ready to perform the first operations of logistics to supply fuel or other materials to facilitate the research, the statement added. (Xinhua/NAN)