At least 139 migrants dead, dozens missing after boat capsizes off Djibouti coast

GENEVA (AP) — At least 139 people, including children, have died after a boat carrying more than 300 migrants capsized off the coast of Djibouti in east Africa, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Sunday. This figure only includes those buried by authorities in Djibouti; others buried by the migrants themselves will not be included in the official count until authorities can verify the bodies, according to Alexandre Coissac, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti. Coissac stated, "What is terrible is that they were buried with no names, in a common grave, like in a war situation. They all have a mother, a father, and we may never learn what happened." The migrants boarded the ship on the evening of October 8, and it sank shortly after, close to the shore, primarily due to overcrowding. Coissac noted that local authorities were overwhelmed with the number of bodies arriving at the shore. A pair of shoes believed to belong to a migrant was found on the shore after the boat capsized while sailing from Djibouti to Yemen. Authorities are bringing the surviving migrants to the IOM rescue center in Obock for medical assistance and psychological support. Coissac mentioned that the survivors are in a state of shock, and some are already aware of their family members' deaths. At least 84 people remain missing, making this one of the deadliest shipwrecks on the route from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, where many migrants seek work in Gulf nations. The boat was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized on Thursday night or Friday morning, according to the IOM. More than 80 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, were reported. The IOM warned that the death toll could rise as the vessel had 305 people on board. Personal items belonging to the migrants were seen on a beach in a video shared by the IOM, and rescue efforts continue as concerns grow for the missing. Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti each year, despite escalating fighting in Yemen. Coissac described the incident as a "devastating loss of life" and emphasized the dangers faced by migrants in this corridor. In recent weeks, at least 2,000 Yemenis have received aid in Djibouti due to the ongoing conflict in Yemen. This movement is opposite to the typical migration patterns of recent years, as many migrants from eastern Africa typically seek work in Saudi Arabia. According to the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, over 900 migrants died or went missing along this route last year. IOM Director-General Amy Pope stated, "No one gets into a boat like that unless they believe there is no other safe way. We cannot keep treating these deaths as normal. Safe and legal pathways save lives. I am asking governments and donors to act before the next boat goes down."