Bodies of 26 Ethiopians found in mass grave in Malawi

By GREGORY GONDWE
Associated Press

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Officials in Malawi have exhumed the bodies of 26 suspected Ethiopian migrants from a mass grave 255 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital. Authorities said villagers found the bodies on Wednesday in a forest located near the main road that connects Malawi and Tanzania. Police say the early evidence suggests the men buried in Mtangatanga Forest may have suffocated while traveling in a van. Investigators are looking into the deaths as a potential human trafficking case. A police spokesperson says evidence collected at the scene indicated the men were Ethiopian nationals between the ages of 25 and 40. The commissioner of the Mzimba District says autopsies are being arranged.