At Least 139 Migrants Die After Boat Capsizes Off Djibouti

At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, died after a boat carrying 305 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti on the night of 8-9 October, the International Organization for Migration said. Another 84 people remain missing. About 82 people survived, all of them Ethiopian nationals. The toll rose from an earlier count of 109 after additional bodies were recovered.

The vessel was travelling from Djibouti toward Yemen when it overturned near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock. Survivors told IOM officials that the boat began to sink shortly after departure because it was overcrowded. IOM Djibouti mission chief Alexandre Coissac said the migrants boarded in the evening of 8 October and that the vessel went down close to shore. He described the burials of the dead, many without identified names, as resembling conditions seen in wartime.

Among the first 109 bodies recovered were 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children (nine girls and six boys). IOM is providing medical care, food, shelter, and psychosocial support to 64 survivors at its migrant response centre in Obock. Djiboutian authorities continue search and recovery operations. IOM Director General Amy Pope stated that no one boards such a boat unless they believe there is no other safe way and called for expanded legal pathways.

The Eastern Route from the Horn of Africa across the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea is one of the busiest and most dangerous migration corridors. Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia, attempt the crossing each year seeking work in Gulf countries. Many travel in overcrowded smuggler boats. IOM data showed more than 20,000 movements from Ethiopia to Djibouti observed since 10 September alone. From January to October this year, roughly 178,000 people arrived in Djibouti from Ethiopia.

Personal items, including shoes, were found on a beach near the wreck site. IOM shared images of the recovery effort. The agency revised its figures after 30 additional bodies were recovered and warned that the death toll could still rise as search operations continue. Local authorities are arranging burials and treating survivors.

The incident is one of the deadliest shipwrecks recorded on the route. Previous crossings have produced repeated losses from capsizing, engine failure, and extreme heat. IOM has repeatedly called for safer legal options and better protection along the corridor. The current search continues amid concerns for those still unaccounted for.

Coissac noted that some bodies may have been buried by other migrants and will not enter the official count until authorities can verify them. The 82 confirmed survivors are all Ethiopian. IOM teams are working with Djiboutian authorities on both the sea search and support for those already ashore.

The scale of the loss, with more than half the passengers dead or missing, highlights the persistent risks on a route that has carried large numbers for years. The IOM statement described the event as a stark reminder of the dangers migrants face when seeking work or safety. Further recovery of bodies or survivors will determine the final toll.