The International Organization for Migration says at least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died after a boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti.
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At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died after a boat with 305 people on board capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration said on Sunday.
The IOM said the boat was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized on Thursday night or Friday morning. It reported that 52 men, 42 women and 15 children died, while more than 80 people survived and at least 116 others remain missing.
The IOM said tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait toward Gulf countries, seeking safety and economic opportunities, a movement it said has continued despite violence in Yemen.
“This is a devastating loss of life,” Alexandre Coissac, the IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti, said. “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities.”
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