DJIBOUTI/GENEVA – ( Dawan Africa ) — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed that at least eight migrants have died, and 22 others are still missing after a shipwreck off the coast of Djibouti. The boat, which was carrying nearly 150 people, had been en route to Yemen when it became stranded at sea on June 5th.
“These young people were forced to make impossible choices, taken by smugglers who showed no regard for human life,” said Celestine Frantz, the Regional Director of the IOM for East, Horn, and Southern Africa.
In the days following the incident, many of the survivors were rescued and received urgent medical care and psychosocial support at a local IOM-run hospital in Obock, Djibouti. The IOM teams on the ground are working closely with local authorities to assist in the search and rescue efforts and provide life-saving aid to the survivors.
This tragedy underscores the ongoing dangers faced by thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa, who each year attempt perilous sea journeys to reach Gulf countries. The shipwreck adds to a series of deadly maritime incidents off the coast of Djibouti, highlighting the urgent need for stronger migrant protection systems along migration routes between the Horn of Africa and Yemen.