A tragic incident unfolded off Djibouti’s coast as two migrant boats carrying 310 people capsized in the Red Sea, leaving at least 45 dead and 61 others missing.
The boats, which had departed from Yemen, sank just 150 metres from the beach near Djibouti’s north-west Khor Angar region, according to the Djibouti coastguard.
Rescue operations, supported by the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, have saved 115 survivors so far, with the search for the missing continuing.
“We remain committed to finding the missing persons and ensuring the safety of the survivors,” the IOM stated in its report.
This latest tragedy points to the perilous conditions faced by migrants attempting to cross one of the busiest migration routes. Many are fleeing conflict and economic hardship in Africa, hoping for a better future, but often face deadly risks on overcrowded smuggler boats.
Earlier this year, in June, a similar disaster claimed the lives of 56 Somali and Ethiopian migrants in the Gulf of Aden, with 140 others reported missing.
Thousands of migrants attempt this journey each year, seeking safety but often falling victim to such dangerous voyages.
45 dead, 61 missing after migrant boats capsize off Djibouti coast