Migrant boat to Yemen capsizes off Djibouti, 139 dead
84 people remain missing, more than 80 Ethiopian survivors are being treated in Obock, and the death toll could rise.
At least 139 migrants were killed and 84 others remained missing after a boat carrying 305 people from Djibouti to Yemen capsized off the coast of Djibouti between the night of 8 October and the early hours of 9 October. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said more than 80 people survived and all were Ethiopian nationals. According to IOM Mission Chief in Djibouti Alexandre Coissac, the boat sank shortly after departure near the shore, allegedly because it was overloaded. Djibouti authorities are continuing the search, while survivors were taken to an IOM assistance center in Obock for medical care and psychological support. The route across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Yemen is widely used by migrants from the Horn of Africa seeking work in Gulf countries, despite the high risk.