THE bodies of nine migrants found on an African boat off the northern coast of Brazil’s Amazon region have been laid to rest at a solemn ceremony.

People fishing off the coast of Para state found the boat adrift on April 13, carrying the already decomposing bodies of adults or teenagers.

Brazilian officials said later that documents found in the vessel indicated that the victims were migrants from Mali and Mauritania and that the boat had left the latter country after January 17.