World · Malaysia Bureau
Migrant boat capsizes off Djibouti; 139 dead, 84 missing
A vessel carrying approximately 350 migrants capsized in waters off Djibouti, resulting in at least 139 deaths. Rescue efforts continue as authorities search for 84 people still unaccounted for.
LSN Malaysia ·
A migrant boat has capsized in the waters off Djibouti, claiming the lives of at least 139 people in what authorities are treating as a major maritime disaster. The vessel, which was carrying around 350 passengers, overturned in the strategic shipping corridor off the Horn of Africa nation.
Following the incident, search and rescue operations have been mounted in the region. As of the latest reports, 84 individuals remain missing, raising concerns that the death toll could rise further as recovery efforts continue.
The incident underscores the ongoing dangers faced by migrants attempting perilous sea journeys across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The waters off Djibouti have long been a transit point for people seeking to reach safer countries, with vessels often overcrowded and in poor condition.
Djibouti, a small nation at the confluence of major shipping routes, has been a departure point for many migrants attempting to cross to the Arabian Peninsula. Maritime incidents involving migrant vessels have claimed thousands of lives in recent years across the Red Sea and adjacent waterways.