Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Djibouti, Killing 109

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died and dozens more are still missing after a boat carrying 350 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported.

The vessel was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized near the port town of Obock on Thursday night. Approximately 80 people were rescued, according to the IOM.

Alexandre Coissac, the IOM's Djibouti mission chief, described the tragedy as a "stark reminder" of the dangers faced by migrants seeking new lives. Among the recovered bodies were 52 men, 42 women, nine girls, and six boys.

"This is a devastating loss of life," Coissac stated. "Our thoughts are with the survivors and the families who have lost loved ones or remain without news of their relatives."

Local authorities are handling the arrangements for burials of the deceased. The survivors, all identified as Ethiopian nationals, are receiving medical care.

Migrants undertake the perilous journey from the Horn of Africa to Gulf countries each year, seeking safety and employment, according to the UN agency. This route includes crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen, a country embroiled in a civil war for over a decade and facing widespread instability. Despite these dangers, poverty, insecurity, and the escalating impacts of climate change continue to drive individuals to make the crossing.

Since September 10, the IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix has recorded over 20,000 movements from Ethiopia to Djibouti.