According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 109 migrants have died in a shipwreck off the coast of the East African nation of Djibouti. The incident, where a boat carrying 350 people capsized, also left over 116 people missing.
The IOM reported on Sunday that the vessel was traveling from Djibouti toward Yemen when it overturned during the night from Thursday to Friday near Guhere, north of Obock. Among the 109 recovered bodies were 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children, including nine girls and six boys. More than 80 people survived the disaster, all of whom were Ethiopian nationals. These 64 survivors are currently being cared for at a Migrant Response Centre in Obock.
Alexandre Coissac, the IOM Mission Director in Djibouti, stated that their teams are on site, working with local authorities to provide emergency aid. He emphasized that “this tragedy drastically highlights the dangers migrants face on this migration corridor while they search for economic opportunities.”
Thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti every year, crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait toward Yemen in the hope of reaching the Gulf States to find safety, stability, and work.
