At least 139 migrants dead, dozens missing after boat capsizes off Djibouti
Quick Look
- At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, died and 84 went missing after an overcrowded boat sank while traveling from Djibouti to Yemen on October 8-9, according to the International Organization for Migration.
- The vessel was carrying 305 people, mostly Ethiopian, when it capsized north of Obock.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The boat was carrying 305 people, mostly Ethiopian migrants, attempting to reach Yemen from Djibouti when it capsized north of Obock on the night of October 8-9.
At least 139 migrants died, including 15 children, and 84 went missing when an overcrowded boat sank while heading from Djibouti to Yemen, a UN agency said on Sunday.
The vessel was carrying 305 people, most of them Ethiopian, when it capsized north of the Djibouti town of Obock on the night of October 8-9, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement.
“Survivors told me that the boat started to sink backwards as soon as they got in it,” Alexandre Coissac, IOM chief of mission in Djibouti, said.
“This is a devastating loss of life,” he said earlier in the statement.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Search and rescue operations will continue for the missing migrants.
Likely · Within days
Authorities will investigate the cause of the boat capsizing.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What caused the boat to capsize?
- Were there any survivors rescued?
- What actions are being taken to prevent similar incidents?
