Two boats capsize off Djibouti, 130 migrants missing

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) – At least 130 migrants are missing Tuesday after their two boats capsized off the coast of Djibouti.

Five bodies were recovered from the sea and transported by Ministry of Health personnel to a hospital in Djibouti's Obock region for examination, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement.

"The tragedy occurred off Godoria, a locality in the Obock region of northeast Djibouti. After being alerted by local residents, a team of gendarmerie gathered this afternoon near the reported site of the sinkings and discovered two survivors as well as the bodies of three women and two men," it said.

According to local witnesses, the boats capsized roughly 30 minutes after leaving due to overloading and heavy swells, the statement said.

"The coast guard was also alerted and launched search and rescue operations. Those operations are still underway with two patrol boats," it added.