Several Migrants Remain Unaccounted for Near Djibouti’s Shore After Smugglers Eject Them from Boats
It remains unclear why the migrants were ejected from the boats in open water.
Initially, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that two vessels carrying migrants had overturned. Later, they omitted this detail, stating instead that the people were forced off by smugglers and ordered to swim.
The coast guard in Djibouti revealed that the unfortunate event occurred approximately 150 meters, about 500 feet, from a beach in the northwestern region of Khor Angar in the East African nation. They confirmed the rescue of 115 survivors.
Moktar Abdi, a member of Djibouti’s coastal defense, informed The Associated Press via phone on Thursday that their search efforts were concentrated on the deeper sea and surrounding shorelines. He mentioned that a further update on the number of bodies found would be shared later by the coast guard. On Wednesday, the IOM stated that 111 individuals were still missing, whereas Djibouti’s coast guard reported 61 people were unaccounted for.
“One woman drowned, yet her four-month-old baby was rescued along with 98 other people from the initial vessel,” mentioned the U.N. agency, which contributed to the search and rescue operations.
Annually, hordes of migrants from African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian nations aspire to a more promising existence in Europe by attempting irregular migrations. Smugglers frequently cram boats with individuals willing to gamble their lives for a chance to arrive in continental Europe.
Yemen has been ensnared in a civil war since 2014. That year, Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, took control of the capital Sanaa and large northern regions, driving the internationally recognized government into exile. The following year, a Saudi-led coalition, comprising mainly Arab states, intervened to aid government forces.
Over the years, the conflict has reached a deadlock along established battle lines, while attempts at a diplomatic resolution have dragged on without success.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
