DJIBOUTI (AP) — Two ships carrying migrants from Africa sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Djibouti, killing 45 people, the U.N. migration agency said Tuesday.
The boats had left Yemen with 310 people on board, the International Organization for Migration said.
Thousands of migrants from African, Middle Eastern and South Asian countries seeking a better life in Europe attempt irregular migration every year. Smugglers pack ships full of desperate people willing to risk their lives to reach continental Europe.
The UN agency, which assisted the search and rescue efforts, said on social media platform X that 32 survivors had been rescued.
Djibouti’s coast guard said the tragedy occurred about 150 meters from a beach near the northwestern Khor Angar region. It said a joint rescue operation was underway, starting early Monday. It said 115 survivors were rescued.
“We remain committed to finding the missing persons and ensuring the safety of survivors,” the agency said in a statement on social media, with images of white body bags.