At least 139 migrants have died and 84 others remain missing after a boat carrying 305 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti while travelling towards Yemen, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed.
The tragedy occurred on the night of October 8 near Guhere, north of Obock, following a perilous sea journey that has claimed dozens of lives. At least 15 children were among those killed, according to the United Nations migration agency.
Survivors told the IOM that the vessel was transporting 305 people from Djibouti to Yemen when it overturned. More than 80 people survived the disaster, all of them Ethiopian nationals.
The death toll rose from an earlier figure of 109 after additional bodies were recovered. Search and rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities continue efforts to locate those still missing.
The IOM described the incident as one of the deadliest shipwrecks ever recorded along the migration route connecting the Horn of Africa to Yemen.
Expressing sorrow over the loss of life, Alexandre Coissac, the agency’s chief of mission in Djibouti, said the disaster had left families grieving and many others anxiously awaiting news of their missing relatives.
“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,” Coissac said.
He added that IOM personnel were working alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance to survivors.
According to him, the incident highlights the extreme dangers faced by migrants who undertake the journey in search of better economic prospects and improved living conditions.
The agency is currently supporting survivors at its Obock Migrant Response Centre, while Djiboutian authorities continue search and rescue efforts.
Despite the risks, thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa continue to travel through Djibouti before crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into Yemen in pursuit of employment, security and better opportunities, the IOM said.
However, the journey exposes migrants to serious dangers both at sea and after reaching their destination. The agency warned that ongoing violence in Yemen has not stopped migration along the route, where migrants may face physical violence, arbitrary arrest, detention, exploitation and human trafficking.
Data from the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project show that more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route in 2025, underscoring the persistent dangers confronting people attempting the crossing.
The latest shipwreck adds to growing concerns over the safety of migrants travelling along one of the region’s most dangerous migration corridors.
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