Two refugee boats sink off the coast of Djibouti: 45 dead

Two refugee boats sank off the coast of the Khor Angar region in the northwest of the African nation of Djibouti. In a statement issued by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), it was reported that both boats had departed from Yemen with 310 refugees on board and subsequently capsized in the Red Sea off the coast of Djibouti. A statement from the Djibouti coast guard noted that at least 45 people lost their lives and that search operations for 61 missing individuals are continuing. The statement, which noted that 115 people were rescued in a large-scale search in the region with the support of the IOM, said, "We believe we will find the missing and are committed to ensuring the safety of the survivors."

In June, at least 56 Somali and Ethiopian refugees, including 31 women and 6 children, lost their lives when a refugee boat sank off the coast of Somalia, and no information could be obtained regarding 140 other refugees.

According to reports from the International Organization for Migration, the number of refugees migrating from the 'Horn of Africa' region—which includes Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Ethiopia—to Yemen reached 73 thousand in 2022, while this figure rose to 97 thousand 200 in 2023.

News Source: 12punto