Dozens of migrants still missing off Djibouti's coast after smugglers forced them out of boats
Rescuers are searching for dozens of migrants from Africa still missing after smugglers apparently forced them out of two boats in the Red Sea off the coast of Djibouti earlier this week
By OMAR FARUK
Published - Oct 03, 2024, 12:36 PM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 06:39 PM EST
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Rescuers searched Thursday for dozens of migrants from Africa still missing after smugglers apparently forced them out of two boats in the Red Sea off the coast of Djibouti earlier this week, the Djiboutian coast guard said.
At least 48 people were earlier reported to have drowned. The boats had departed from Yemen, across the Red Sea on the Arabian Peninsula, carrying 310 people, the International Organization for Migration said.
It was not known why the migrants were forced off the boats while still at sea.
Initially, the IOM said the two boats with migrants had capsized but later made no mention of that, saying instead that the smugglers forced the people off the boats and told them to swim.
