ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday stressed the urgent need to address the root causes of dangerous journeys along the Red Sea as at least 45 migrants died after two boats sank off the coast of Djibouti.
The United Nations migration agency, in a statement issued Wednesday, said at least 45 people have tragically died and 111 are still missing after they were forced off their vessel in the open sea by smugglers. The incident involves two boats transporting migrants returning from Yemen.
"With this incident, 2024 marks the deadliest year for migrant sea crossings, between the East and Horn of Africa and Yemen. This incident is also the second deadliest on the Eastern route sea crossing, following the death of 196 people in June 2024, signifying a disturbing trend this year," it said.
According to survivors, the first boat carried 100 migrants while the second had 210 on board, all returning to Djibouti from Yemen. Migrants were forced by the Yemenite boat operators to disembark in the open sea and swim. One woman drowned, but her 4-month-old infant survived along with 98 others from the first boat.
The IOM said its team in Djibouti is supporting emergency services in search and rescue operations for missing persons. Some 55 people have been rescued and are receiving medical and psychosocial support. Search and rescue operations are underway by the Djiboutian Coast Guard to locate the missing migrants.
The IOM, in coordination with the Djibouti government, is providing humanitarian assistance and protection interventions including medical assistance, mental health and psychosocial support and safe shelter to the survivors.
"This latest double tragedy is the starkest reminder yet of the urgent need to protect and address the needs of migrants along the Eastern Route from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and the Gulf," IOM Regional Director for East, Horn and Southern Africa Frantz Celestin was quoted as saying. "Hundreds have lost their lives this year. We call on the donor community to continue to support IOM's response, to save lives and address the root causes of the life-threatening and dangerous journeys these migrants take, and stop their exploitation by smugglers."
Since 2014, IOM Missing Migrants Project has also recorded more than 1,300 cases of migrant deaths due to drowning on the Eastern route, including 337 from January to August 2024. The Eastern migration route, running from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, has long been one of the busiest migratory corridors in the East and Horn of Africa region.
Many migrants are believed to use this route to leave and return to their countries of origin, particularly Ethiopia and Somalia, with the hope of pursuing better livelihood opportunities in Gulf countries.
The IOM said thousands remain stranded along the route in extremely difficult conditions and face various forms of violence, exploitation, and abuse, which underscores the urgent need for robust measures to protect migrants and prevent future loss of life.
In most of these incidents, desperate East African migrants attempted to cross the dangerous route, hoping to reach the Middle East via war-torn Yemen, with the main destination being Saudi Arabia, Yemen's northern neighbor. The situation in Yemen often forces them to remain stranded in the country. ■
