A major boat accident in Africa has occurred off the coast of Djibouti in East Africa. At least 109 people have died after a boat carrying 305 migrants capsized at sea.
There were 15 children among those dead, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. According to the IOM, the boat capsized at sea on Thursday night or Friday morning while it was sailing from Djibouti to Yemen.
According to reports, 52 men, 42 women and 15 children died in the accident. More than 80 people have been rescued after the accident, but at least 116 are still missing. Concerns have been growing over the search and rescue of the missing.
The IOM said that thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa region of Africa are traveling through Djibouti to Gulf countries in search of safety and better economic opportunities. For this, they are crossing the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Despite the ongoing violence in Yemen, this migration trend has not stopped. “This is a huge loss of life and property,” said Alexandre Koessac, IOM’s head of mission in Djibouti.
He added that the tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants seeking economic opportunities on this migration route. The accident has raised serious questions about the safety of migrants who make the perilous journey in search of a better life and employment abroad.
