DJIBOUTI — At least 139 migrants, including children, have died after a boat carrying more than 300 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration said Sunday, with dozens still missing and fears the death toll could rise.
The boat was carrying 305 people travelling from Djibouti towards Yemen when it sank shortly after leaving the coast on the evening of October 8, according to the IOM. More than 80 people survived, while at least 84 others remained missing.
Alexandre Coissac, the IOM’s head of mission in Djibouti, told The Associated Press that the confirmed death toll of 139 included only bodies buried by Djiboutian authorities. Other migrants had also buried bodies, but those deaths had not yet been included in the official count pending verification.
Some of the victims were buried in mass graves without being identified, Coissac said, raising concerns that their families might never learn what happened to them.
The disaster was believed to have been caused in part by overcrowding on the vessel, according to Coissac. Rescue teams and local authorities continued efforts to recover bodies and search for survivors, but managing the large number of bodies arriving on the shore at once had proved difficult.
The survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, were taken to an IOM migrant response centre in the port town of Obock, where they were receiving medical care, psychological support and other assistance.
Some survivors remained traumatised by the tragedy, while others had learned that relatives were among the dead, the agency said.
The sinking highlights the dangers faced by migrants travelling along the so-called Eastern Route, a major migration corridor used by people from the Horn of Africa seeking to reach Gulf countries through Yemen.
Many migrants cross the Gulf of Aden in an attempt to reach Saudi Arabia and other destinations in search of work and better living conditions. The route remains dangerous because of overcrowded boats, unpredictable sea conditions and the risks posed by smugglers.
Despite repeated tragedies, thousands continue to attempt the crossing each year, often relying on smugglers to arrange sea journeys.
The IOM has repeatedly warned that migrants travelling along the route face serious risks, including drowning, abuse and exploitation. The latest disaster is among the deadliest reported in the waters off Djibouti in recent years.
Search and recovery operations were continuing, with authorities working to establish the full number of people who died or remained missing.
