Tragic shipwreck claims lives of migrants off Djibouti
At least 139 people, including children, have died after a boat carrying 305 migrants capsized off the coast of Djibouti in east Africa, reports BritPanorama.
At least 84 people remain missing in what is considered one of the deadliest shipwrecks yet on the popular but perilous crossing from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, where many migrants seek work in wealthy Gulf nations.
The boat was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized on Thursday night or Friday morning, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). More than 80 individuals survived, all of whom are Ethiopian nationals, the agency confirmed.
Personal items likely belonging to the migrants, such as shoes, were spotted on a beach in a video shared by the IOM. Rescue efforts are ongoing as concerns rise for those who remain missing.
Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa attempt the journey every year through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait towards Gulf countries in search of safety and economic opportunities, the IOM stated.
This migration has persisted despite intensifying fighting in Yemen, across the strait.
“This is a devastating loss of life,” said Alexandre Coissac, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti. “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities.”
“No one gets into a boat like that unless they believe there is no other safe way,” IOM Director General Amy Pope asserted. “We cannot keep treating these deaths as normal. Safe and legal pathways save lives. I am asking governments and donors to act before the next boat goes down.”
Last year, over 900 migrants died or went missing along this route, according to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.
