Tragedy off Djibouti: Migrant Boat Capsizes, Over 100 Dead

A devastating maritime tragedy has unfolded off the coast of Djibouti, East Africa, as a migrant boat carrying an estimated 350 people capsized. The United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed a grim death toll of 139, with 15 children among the deceased. The incident, which occurred on the night of October 8-9, saw the overcrowded vessel overturn as it attempted to journey from Djibouti to Yemen.

Survivors of the shipwreck reported that the boat capsized north of the Djibouti town of Obock. Many of the 80-plus survivors are Ethiopian nationals, who were on their way across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, seeking economic opportunities in Gulf countries via Yemen. The IOM has also stated that 84 people remain missing following the disaster.

Alexandre Coissac, IOM chief of mission in Djibouti, expressed profound sorrow over the incident.

This is a devastating loss of life. Our thoughts are with the survivors and the families who have lost loved ones or remain without news of their relatives,

he said in a statement. IOM teams are actively on the ground, collaborating with Djiboutian authorities to provide crucial emergency aid to those affected.

This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the extreme dangers faced by migrants along this perilous corridor.

The IOM highlighted that factors such as poverty, insecurity, and the escalating impacts of climate change compel many individuals to undertake such hazardous journeys, despite growing instability across the Middle East.

The recovered bodies include 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children, nine girls and six boys, underscoring the horrific human cost of these desperate migrations.

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