Djibouti boat capsizes with 305 migrants on board, at least 139 dead and 84 missing in deadly shipwreck
At least 139 people, including children, have died and 84 remain missing after a boat carrying 305 migrants capsized off Djibouti. Rescue operations continue as the tragedy highlights the dangers of the migration route towards Yemen and Gulf nations.
At least 139 migrants, including children, lost their lives when a boat carrying 305 people sank off the coast of Djibouti in East Africa, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The incident, which occurred on Thursday or early Friday, made it one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the hazardous migration route between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The majority of the passengers were Ethiopian nationals, with over 80 survivors, all of whom were Ethiopian. Rescue efforts continued as concerns grew for the 84 people still unaccounted for.
The IOM reported that the boat was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized. Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait annually, seeking safety and economic opportunities in Gulf countries. Despite ongoing fighting in Yemen, the migration continues. Alexandre Coissac, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti, described the tragedy as "a devastating loss of life."
IOM Director General Amy Pope called for urgent action to prevent further deaths, emphasizing that migrants often undertake such perilous journeys because they believe there are no safer alternatives. Pope urged governments and donors to act before another disaster occurs, urging the creation of safe and legal pathways to save lives.
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