109 Dead and 116 Missing After Boat Capsizes off Djibouti Coast

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died in a boat accident off the coast of Djibouti. An additional 116 individuals remain missing. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported this on Sunday. According to IOM, the boat carrying approximately 350 people from Djibouti towards Yemen capsized north of the city of Obock around midnight between October 8 and 9.

Alexander Koisec, head of the IOM mission in Djibouti, described the incident as a severe humanitarian tragedy. He expressed condolences to the families who have been unable to obtain information about their loved ones. IOM teams have joined forces with Djiboutian authorities at the site to conduct rescue and emergency assistance operations.

Among the 109 confirmed fatalities are 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children, comprising nine girls and six boys. Over 80 people have survived the accident, all of whom are Ethiopian nationals. The IOM highlighted that this tragedy underscores the dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the Bab-el-Mandeb strait through Yemen in pursuit of economic opportunities in Gulf countries.

“Despite increasing instability in the Middle East, poverty, insecurity, and the impacts of climate change are forcing many individuals to undertake this perilous journey,” the IOM statement noted.