109 migrants die, 116 missing in Djibouti boat disaster
At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died and another 116 remain missing after a boat carrying about 350 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said.
The tragedy occurred overnight between October 8 and 9, north of the coastal town of Obock, as migrants attempted to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait towards Yemen in search of economic opportunities in Gulf countries.
In a statement on Sunday, the United Nations migration agency said rescue teams had recovered 109 bodies, comprising 52 men, 42 women and 15 children, including nine girls and six boys.
More than 80 people survived the disaster, all Ethiopian nationals, while search and rescue operations continued for those still missing.
“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, IOM chief of mission in Djibouti.
Coissac said the agency was working alongside Djiboutian authorities to provide emergency assistance to survivors.
“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities,” he added.
The IOM said 64 survivors were receiving assistance at a migrant centre in Obock, while authorities continued searching for missing passengers.
The agency attributed the increasing movement of migrants along the dangerous route to poverty, insecurity and the effects of climate change across the Horn of Africa.
“Poverty, insecurity and the growing impacts of climate change drive many to undertake this journey, despite mounting instability across the Middle East,” the organisation said.
Despite Yemen’s prolonged conflict, thousands of migrants, particularly from Ethiopia and Somalia, continue to travel through Djibouti hoping to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
According to the IOM, more than 20,000 migrants crossed from Ethiopia into Djibouti between September 10 and early October.
The agency said more than 900 migrants died or disappeared along the sea route to Yemen in 2025, while the number attempting the crossing increased by 18%.
Another shipwreck in March 2026 left nine people dead and 45 missing.
The IOM appealed to international donors and humanitarian partners to strengthen support for Djibouti’s emergency response, particularly search and rescue operations and assistance for survivors.
Authorities have yet to establish the precise cause of the latest disaster.