Djibouti — At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, have died and around 84 remain missing after an overcrowded boat carrying approximately 350 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti while travelling towards Yemen, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday.
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The vessel sank overnight on October 8–9 near the coastal town of Obock, north of Djibouti, according to survivors cited by the IOM. The agency said the death toll had risen to 139 after 30 additional bodies were recovered.
The boat was carrying migrants attempting to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen in search of economic opportunities and onward travel to Gulf countries.
“This is a devastating loss of life. Our thoughts are with the survivors and the families who have lost loved ones or remain without news of their relatives,” said Alexandre Coissac, the IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti.
Coissac said IOM teams were working alongside Djiboutian authorities to provide emergency assistance to survivors.
The tragedy highlights the continuing dangers faced by migrants along the eastern migration route from the Horn of Africa to Yemen, where overcrowded vessels and perilous sea crossings expose people to the risk of death and disappearance.
The IOM said it had recorded more than 20,000 crossings from Ethiopia into Djibouti since September 10. Many migrants attempting the sea journey are Ethiopian or Somali nationals, according to IOM spokesperson Kennedy Omondi Okoth, who told AFP earlier in the week that many migrants end up stranded in Djibouti.
Yemen remains affected by a prolonged conflict between the internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. The country has also been drawn into wider regional tensions involving Iran, the United States and its allies.
According to the IOM, more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the maritime route to Yemen in 2025, while the number of people attempting the crossing increased by 18%. Another shipwreck in March 2026 left nine people dead and 45 missing.
The agency called on donors and partner organisations to increase support for Djibouti, particularly for search-and-rescue operations and emergency assistance to migrants.
The latest disaster underscores the urgent need for stronger humanitarian support and safer migration pathways to prevent further loss of life along one of the region’s most dangerous migration routes.
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