By Canadian Press

UN: More than 130 migrants appear to be missing off Djibouti

Jan 29, 2019 | 3:32 PM

JOHANNESBURG — More than 130 migrants were thought to be missing after two boats capsized Tuesday off the tiny East African nation of Djibouti, the U.N. migration agency said.

Local police had found five bodies and search efforts were underway, the U.N. statement said. Witnesses said the boats were overloaded and large waves caused them to tip over about a half-hour after departing.

The migration agency said its team at the site found an 18-year-old survivor who reportedly boarded a boat with another 130 people, including 16 women. There were no immediate details on the second boat.

Thousands of migrants from the turbulent Horn of Africa region set off every year from Djibouti to cross the Bab al-Mandab Strait for the Arabian Peninsula with hopes of finding work in rich Gulf countries.

SHEEP TALK

New 4-H sheep club in Makwa offers hands-on experience in sheep raising

14h ago

Battleford Flag Raising

Battleford pays tribute to veterans with annual poppy flag raising

15h ago

BDO Debt Solutions

Addressing the Rising Cost of Living in Saskatchewan: A Guide for Residents Facing Financial Pressure

16h ago

The crossing is dangerous, with smugglers in some cases forcing migrants overboard before reaching their destination. Other boats have been fired on as they approach the coast of Yemen, where fighting continues between pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels.

The U.N. migration agency operates a migrant response centre in the Obock region where Tuesday morning’s capsizing occurred as well as four similar centres in neighbouring Somalia and Ethiopia. According to the nearly 7,000 migrants registered at the centres between January and July 2018, a “vast majority” were Ethiopian, young and male and headed toward Saudi Arabia.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

Cara Anna, The Associated Press