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At least 139 people, including 15 children, have died and 84 others remain missing after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the United Nations migration agency has said.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday that the incident occurred near Guhere, along Djibouti’s eastern coast in the Gulf of Aden, between Thursday night and the early hours of Friday.
According to the agency, the boat was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen with more than 300 people on board when it capsized.
More than 80 people, all Ethiopian nationals, survived the disaster, while Djiboutian search and rescue operations continued.
IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti, Alexandre Coissac, said the organisation was working with local authorities to provide emergency assistance to survivors.
He described the incident as a devastating loss of life and warned of the dangers migrants face along the route in search of economic opportunities and better living conditions.
Coissac told the Associated Press that the official death toll included only those whose bodies had been buried by Djiboutian authorities. Other victims reportedly buried by fellow migrants would be added to the figures once their deaths were verified.
The Gulf of Aden crossing, particularly the narrow Bab al-Mandeb Strait between Djibouti and Yemen, remains a popular but dangerous route for migrants from the Horn of Africa.
Thousands undertake the journey in search of jobs, safety and better economic prospects in Gulf countries despite persistent insecurity and conflict in the region.
The IOM said it had recorded more than 20,000 arrivals in Djibouti from Ethiopia since September 10.
Last year, more than 500,000 people attempted to travel along the migration route towards Yemen, with at least 900 people reported dead or missing, according to the agency.
Djibouti also serves as a refuge for people fleeing Yemen, where renewed fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has intensified the humanitarian crisis.
The latest tragedy underscores the continuing risks faced by migrants attempting dangerous sea crossings in pursuit of safety and improved livelihoods.
