LONDON TRAGEDY: Ethiopian Migrants Die in Boat Capsizing Off Djibouti Coast
LONDON — Heartbreaking news has emerged as at least 33 Ethiopian migrants, including an eight-year-old boy, lost their lives in a tragic boat capsizing off the coast of Djibouti, according to officials who spoke to the BBC.
These migrants were part of a group of 77 people attempting to cross the Red Sea from Yemen to Ethiopia, as reported by the UN’s migration agency.
The devastating incident was brought to light when fishermen alerted coastguards after witnessing some of the migrants drowning.
Despite the heroic efforts of rescuers who managed to save over 20 individuals, many others are still unaccounted for.
The survivors, visibly shaken and terrified, were brought ashore in Djibouti at the town of Godoria and promptly taken to a hospital for urgent medical care.
Subsequently, the UN’s migration agency, the IOM, facilitated the repatriation of the survivors to Ethiopia.
Isse Iyah, a senior Djibouti coastguard official, revealed that those on the ill-fated boat had left Yemen due to the harsh conditions they faced, which were worse than in their homeland.
Berhanu Tsegaye, Ethiopia’s ambassador to Djibouti, conveyed his condolences for the tragic loss on X, previously known as Twitter.
He emphasized the dangers of illegal travel from Djibouti to the Middle East countries, noting the ongoing loss of Ethiopian lives in such perilous journeys.
Escaping the aftermath of civil war in Ethiopia, many migrants pass through Djibouti and Yemen en route to Saudi Arabia and beyond in search of a better life.
However, some find themselves stranded in war-torn Yemen, compounding their hardships.
This latest capsizing incident occurred just two weeks after a similar boat accident claimed the lives of at least 38 Ethiopians in the same waters.
Authorities have recorded nearly 1,000 deaths or disappearances in the region over the past decade, underscoring the dangers faced by migrants in their perilous journeys. — BBC
