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A minister in Madagascar's government has beaten the
to survive a helicopter crash and a
swim. Serge Gelle, the country's
of state for police, swam to the
on Tuesday after the helicopter he was a passenger in crashed into the Indian Ocean off the island's north-east
. Mr Gelle was one of two passengers known to have survived the crash. They
swam for 12 hours to reach the shore. Gelle told reporters that he used
of the helicopter's seats as a flotation device. News agencies are reporting that at
39 people perished in the disaster. A police
said rescue workers had retrieved 18 bodies. He lamented that the death toll could increase over the next
days.
