Two shipwrecks off the coast of Djibouti have resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 45 migrants, with many others still missing. The vessels, carrying a total of 310 people, sank in the Red Sea after leaving Yemen. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been supporting state emergency services in search and rescue operations, with 32 survivors rescued so far.
Djibouti’s coastguard has been leading a joint rescue effort since early Monday, with 115 survivors found and dozens still unaccounted for. The boats sank just 150 meters from a beach near Djibouti’s northwest Khor Angar region. Images of white body bags have been shared on social media, highlighting the tragic loss of life in this latest incident.
This is not the first time such a tragedy has occurred in the region. In April, 38 people died when their boat sank off the coast of Djibouti, and in June, 49 people lost their lives when their vessel sank after departing from Somalia. The Red Sea crossing, known as the “Eastern Route”, is considered one of the busiest and most dangerous migration routes in the world, with tens of thousands of people making the journey each year.
Those embarking on the perilous journey are often fleeing conflict, political violence, and climate change, and are at risk of drowning as well as exploitation by traffickers en route and in the Gulf countries. IOM records show that nearly 400,000 people made the Eastern Route crossing in 2023, with almost 700 deaths or disappearances recorded that year. Since 2014, nearly 1,000 people have died or gone missing on this treacherous route.
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