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According to the United Nations, at least 38 migrants and refugees, including children, have died after their vessel capsized off Djibouti’s coast.

The United Nations migration agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), announced the recovery of the bodies on X, stating that this event also left six individuals missing and presumed dead. The agency added that they are currently providing assistance to 22 survivors in collaboration with local authorities in the East African nation.

This incident adds to the statistics recorded since 2014, with roughly 1,000 people reported dead or missing on the dangerous “Eastern Route.” This journey, filled with danger, originates from Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti, leading migrants through Yemen to other Arab countries in search of better opportunities. Despite the acknowledged risks, the route has seen an uptick in traffic, particularly among women and children traveling solo in pursuit of improved livelihoods.

In 2023, the IOM observed nearly 400,000 migrant movements along the Eastern Route, indicating a persistent rise in individuals braving this dangerous passage. Another route leading from the Horn of Africa to Southern Africa witnessed 80,000 movements within the same timeframe. Notably, the journey across the Gulf of Aden, aimed at reaching Saudi Arabia, resulted in the deaths of at least 698 hopeful migrants, including women and children, last year.