Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Djibouti, 139 Dead and 84 Missing

At least 139 people died and 84 remain missing after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration and local authorities said. The vessel, which left Djibouti bound for Yemen, overturned near Guhere, north of Obock, during the night of 8–9 October. Eighty-two survivors have been brought ashore.

The boat was carrying approximately 305 people, many of them from Ethiopia and Somalia. Fifteen of the confirmed dead are children. Survivors told rescuers that the craft was overloaded and that weather conditions deteriorated after departure.

This is one of the deadliest single incidents on the eastern migration route in recent years. Migrants use the short sea crossing from Djibouti and Somalia to Yemen in an attempt to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states for work. Smugglers frequently pack small wooden or fibreglass boats beyond safe capacity.

The IOM has called for stronger search-and-rescue capacity in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Local coastguard vessels reached the site several hours after the capsize. Some bodies were recovered; others remain in the water. The missing count may rise as additional reports reach shore.

Djibouti has served as a major transit point for years. The country’s small coastguard faces repeated calls for assistance when overloaded boats founder. Previous incidents in 2024 and 2025 each killed dozens. The current toll exceeds those earlier events.

Survivors are receiving medical care in Obock. Many show signs of dehydration and exposure. UN agencies are arranging temporary shelter and identifying the nationalities of the dead where documents survive. Ethiopian and Somali consular officials have been notified.

The route remains active despite the risks. Economic pressure in the Horn of Africa continues to push young men and families toward the Gulf labour market. Smuggling networks adjust departure points and boat types in response to patrols.

No criminal investigation into the operators of this specific vessel has been announced. Authorities in Djibouti have said they will examine the circumstances once the rescue phase ends. Identification of the dead is complicated by the absence of passenger lists.

The 82 survivors include people who clung to wreckage for hours. Some were picked up by fishing boats before the official rescue arrived. Local fishermen have participated in recovery efforts in past incidents as well.

The death toll of 139 is based on bodies recovered and accounts from survivors. The 84 missing are those whose names appear in survivor lists but who have not been found. The total of roughly 305 passengers comes from the same survivor statements and matches earlier estimates given to the IOM.

This incident adds to the cumulative loss of life on the eastern route, which the IOM estimates has claimed thousands of lives over the past decade. Most crossings occur at night. Many boats lack life jackets or navigation equipment.

Djibouti’s government has previously requested additional patrol vessels and surveillance aircraft from international partners. The current rescue relied on existing coastguard assets and civilian boats. The scale of the loss has renewed those requests.

Families in Ethiopia and Somalia are contacting local authorities and community networks for news. Identification will take weeks. Some bodies may never be recovered if they drift into open water.

The survivors remain in Djibouti under the care of UN agencies. Most have said they still intend to attempt the crossing again once they recover. The economic calculation that led them onto the boat has not changed.