At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, died and some 84 went missing after an overcrowded boat capsized off the shores of Djibouti overnight on October 8–9, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Sunday.
The death toll rose to 139 after 30 more bodies were recovered during ongoing search and rescue operations. The vessel was carrying approximately 350 people from Djibouti toward Yemen across a dangerous maritime migration route when it went down north of the Djiboutian town of Obock.
Emergency response efforts remain underway off the coast of Djibouti as authorities and relief agencies work to locate the remaining missing passengers. Search teams fear the casualty count could increase further as rescue operations continue along the coast.
The tragic shipwreck highlights the extreme risks faced by migrants traveling along the Horn of Africa transit corridor toward the Arabian Peninsula in search of safety and employment. International humanitarian agencies are providing critical aid, medical care, and protection services to the surviving passengers rescued from the water.