At least 45 people have died and dozens are missing after two vessels carrying refugees and migrants from Africa sank off the coast of Djibouti, the UN’s migration agency said.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said, on Tuesday, that the boats left Yemen with 310 people on board before sinking in the Red Sea.
“IOM is supporting state emergency services in search and rescue operations,” the organisation said in a post on X. It added that recueing team found 32 survivors.
Djibouti’s coastguard said a joint rescue effort has been underway since the early hours of Monday.
The rescue team has saved 115 survivors but dozens are still missing.
The boats sank just 150 metres (492 feet) from a beach near Djibouti’s northwest Khor Angar region, the coastguard said.
“We remain committed to finding the missing persons and ensuring the safety of the survivors,” the coastguard stated.
IOM posted the statement on social media, along with images of white body bags.
In April, at least 38 people, including children, died after their boat sank off the coast of Djibouti as it took the same route across the Red Sea.
In June, at least 49 people died, mostly from Ethiopia and Somalia, when their boat sank after setting off from Somalia.
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Tens of thousands of people seeking a better future leave Africa and cross the Red Sea each year to reach Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states.
Humanitarian organisations described this crossing the Red Sea as “one of the busiest and most dangerous (migration routes) in the world”.
Known as the “Eastern Route”, human smugglers pack refugees and migrants onto overcrowded vessels as they set off from the Horn of Africa and head for Yemen.
From there, they travel to the Gulf states in search of work.
Those returning from the Gulf will do the same route in reverse.
“The migrants also face the threat of drowning. Those risking the Red Sea crossing, often escape conflict, political violence and climate change at home.
“They are exposed to health risks, violence and exploitation by traffickers en route the Gulf countries,” the IOM said.
Meanwhile, IOM records show that nearly 400,000 people made the Eastern Route crossing in 2023. Almost 700 died or went missing that year.
This adds to nearly 1,000 people who have died or gone missing on the route since 2014, according to the IOM.
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