‘This is a devastating loss of life’.
The shipwreck of a boat that sank off the coast of Djibouti on the night of October 8-9 (Image: IOM/AFP via Getty Images)
At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died after a boat with 305 on board capsized off the coast of east Africa, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday. The vessel was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized on Thursday night or Friday morning, according to the IOM. Fifty-two men, 42 women and 15 children died. More than 80 people survived the accident, while at least 116 others are still missing.
Alexandre Coissac, the IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti, said: “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. Our teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities.”
Teams from the IOM rushed to the scene alongside Djiboutian authorities to provide emergency aid. Officials added: “Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and rescue operations as fears grow for those still missing.”
Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait towards the Gulf countries, in search of safety and economic opportunities, the IOM said in its statement. That movement has continued despite violence in Yemen.