Djibouti death toll from migrant boat continues to rise

The death toll after two migrant boats sank in heavy seas off the coast of Djibouti continues to rise past 50, the UN migration agency said on Wednesday

The international organization for migration (IOM) also confirmed the disappearance of approximately 130 others based on the testimonies of survivors.

“Our coast guard has found the bodies of 52 migrants and the death toll could increase, search operations are still ongoing.” Colonel Wais Omar Bogoreh, Commandant of the Coast Guard said in a statement

The sinking occurred about 30 minutes after the overloaded boats left the town of Godoria, located in the northeast coast of Dibouti.

On these shores, many Ethiopians, Somalis and Yemenis who are trying to find refuge in the neighbouring countries.

“I walked from Tadjoura to Obock, where I met a trafficker. He took us to the coast where we boarded a boat. There were 85 of us. A few minutes after departure, the pilot jumped into the water after an engine failure. And the boat capsized.”

Several dangerous crossings have been recorded in recent years by the IOM, which confirms the death and disappearance of hundreds of people.

AFP