Djibouti Boat Disaster Kills 109 Migrants

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died after a boat carrying about 350 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti, while another 116 remain missing, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The vessel sank overnight between October 8 and 9 while travelling from Djibouti towards Yemen, with survivors reporting that the incident occurred north of the coastal town of Obock, the UN agency said on Sunday.

Of the 109 bodies recovered, 52 were men, 42 were women, and 15 were children, comprising nine girls and six boys. More than 80 people survived the disaster, all of them Ethiopian nationals.

IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti, Alexandre Coissac, expressed condolences to the families of those who died and those still awaiting news of missing relatives. He said the agency was working with Djiboutian authorities to provide emergency assistance to survivors.

“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,” Alexandre Coissac said. 

The organisation said the incident highlighted the dangers faced by migrants using the route across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen, often in the hope of reaching Gulf countries in search of better economic prospects.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities by trying to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen and then to reach Gulf countries.”

It added that poverty, insecurity and the effects of climate change continued to push people towards the perilous journey despite growing instability across the Middle East.

“Poverty, insecurity and the growing impacts of climate change drive many to undertake this journey, despite mounting instability across the Middle East,” the IOM said.

IOM said it was assisting 64 survivors at a migrant centre in Obock, while Djiboutian authorities continued search and rescue operations amid fears for those still unaccounted for.

The tragedy adds to the mounting toll of deaths and disappearances along the maritime migration route between the Horn of Africa and Yemen. According to IOM, more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route in 2025, as the number of people attempting the crossing rose by 18 per cent.

Another shipwreck in March 2026 left nine people dead and 45 missing.

IOM spokesman Kennedy Omondi Okoth told AFP earlier in the week that most migrants attempting the journey originated from Ethiopia or Somalia, with many becoming stranded in Djibouti.

The agency said it had recorded more than 20,000 crossings from Ethiopia into Djibouti since September 10.

Yemen remains affected by conflict between the internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has also become involved in the wider regional confrontation involving Iran, the United States and its allies.

IOM called on donors and partner organisations to increase assistance to Djibouti, particularly for search and rescue operations and emergency support for migrants.