A boat carrying 350 people to Yemen went down off Djibouti, leaving at least 109 dead, including 15 children, and more than 116 missing, the IOM says.
Another devastating loss has hit communities across the Horn of Africa. At least 109 migrants have died after their overcrowded boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Fifteen of the dead are children.
The vessel was carrying around 350 people from Djibouti toward Yemen when it went down during the night of 8-9 October. Survivors told the IOM the boat capsized near Guhere, north of the fishing town of Obock. More than 116 people are still unaccounted for, and the toll could rise as the search continues.
The crossing from Djibouti to Yemen is one of the region's most dangerous migration routes. People take it in search of work and a better life, often in packed boats and at great risk. Behind the numbers are families who now face the pain of waiting for news, or of mourning someone they will never see again.
The tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers facing people who leave home in search of opportunity. Relief agencies and local authorities are still working to establish the full scale of the loss and to support the survivors.
