Voyage of Death to Yemen: Migrant Boat Sinking Leaves 139 Dead, Over 116 Missing
139 migrants, including 15 children, have died, while more than 116 others remain missing, after a boat carrying about 305 people capsized during its journey from Djibouti to Yemen, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.
In a statement on Sunday, the organization said the boat capsized off the Johari area, north of the coastal city of Obock in Djibouti, on the night of October 8-9, noting that more than 80 people, all of Ethiopian nationality, survived.
It clarified that the recovered bodies included 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children, among them nine girls and six boys, while search and rescue operations continue with the participation of Djiboutian authorities.
The organization quoted its chief of mission in Djibouti, Alexandre Koisak, as saying that its teams are working in coordination with local authorities to provide emergency aid, stressing that the incident reflects the significant risks migrants face along this route in search of economic opportunities.
It added that local authorities are providing medical care to the survivors, in addition to making the necessary arrangements for the burial of the victims.
The incident comes amid the continuous flow of migrants from the Horn of Africa to Yemen via the Gulf of Aden, despite the dangers of unsafe sea voyages.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the number of crossings from Ethiopia to Djibouti has exceeded 20,000 since September 10, while more than 3,700 people left Yemen by sea for Djibouti as of last week.
المصدر: International Organization for Migration
