Eight migrants perished off Djibouti's coast; International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirms rescue mission underway
Article Title: Tragic Migrant Losses off Djibouti Coast: A Continuing Nightmare
Paragraph 1:Every year, thousands of individuals hailing from African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian countries embark on risky migratory journeys in search of a better life in Europe. In a heart-rending incident, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported that eight migrants lost their lives, and 22 remain missing, after being coerced off a boat near the Djibouti coast.
Paragraph 2:A group of 150 migrants were forced to disembark a vessel by smugglers and swim to shore on June 5. IOM patrol teams discovered the migrants in the desert and transferred them to a migrant response center. The organization and local authorities in Djibouti are presently engaged in search and rescue operations for the missing migrants.
Paragraph 3:Celestine Frantz, IOM's Regional Director for the East, Horn and Southern Africa, expressed deep sorrow, stating, "Every life lost at sea is a tragedy that should never happen." Frantz denounced the smugglers for endangering human lives with their reckless actions.
Paragraph 4:Over the years, people smugglers have repeatedly packed vessels full of desperates ready to brave death to reach continental Europe. Major transit points like the Red Sea redirect migrants towards Gulf countries before their onward journey to European nations.
Paragraph 5:Yemen serves as a primary route for East African and Horn of African migrants seeking work in Gulf countries, with hundreds of thousands attempting this route annually.
Paragraph 6:In a promising development, Frontex, the EU's external border protection agency, reported a 31% decline in illegal migrant crossings during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the prior year.
Related
- UK: Migrant Crossings Reach Yearly High as Labour Government Feels the Heat
- Canary Islands: Seven Perish as Migrant Boat Capsizes
Additional insights:
- Global Perspective: Approximately 3,500 children have tragically died or gone missing attempting the Mediterranean route over the past decade[1].
- Causalities Worldwide: Drowning is a leading cause of death among migrants, with nearly 37,000 migrants succumbing to this peril between 2014 and early 2024, primarily in the Mediterranean[2].
- Current Statistics: Approximately 6,800 migrants worldwide died or went missing during migration in 2023[3].
Tags:- United Nations- African migrants- IOM- Migrants- Djibouti
[1] https://www.unhcr.org/silverlining/children-on-the-mediterranean-maryam-uthman/[2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/27/mediterranean-sea-migrant-deaths-reach-record-high[3] https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2023/4/62ec7d134/unhcr-worldwide-displacement-trends-2023.html[4] https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2023/6/62e21c094/unhcr-report-380000-refugees-displaced-2022.html[5] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/09/mediterranean-migrant-deaths-rise-as-eu-replies-on-blame-game/
- The tragic deaths of eight migrants off the Djibouti coast highlights the dangerous politics surrounding migration, with thousands risking their lives in pursuit of a better life and faced with crime-and-justice issues such as smugglers endangering human lives.
- As global news headlines continue to report on migration-related accidents, it's essential to acknowledge the General-news implications of these incidents, such as the nearly 37,000 drowning deaths among migrants between 2014 and early 2024, particularly in the Mediterranean.
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