At least 45 migrants have tragically drowned and 111 are still missing after smugglers forced them to dismount their boats in the open sea, the UN Migration Agency said.
The incident occurred off the coast of Obock, near Godoria involving two boats transporting migrants returning from Yemen.
According to survivors, the first boat held 100 migrants and the second had 210, all returning to Djibouti from Yemen. Yemeni boat operators pushed migrants to jump in the open water and swim.
The International Organization for Migration in Djibouti is supporting state emergency services in search and rescue operations for missing persons. So far, 55 people have been rescued and are receiving medical and psychosocial support. Ongoing search and rescue operations are underway by the Djiboutian Coast Guard to locate the missing migrants.