109 Dead, 116 Missing After Overcrowded Migrant Boat Capsizes Between Djibouti and Yemen

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died and more than 116 remain missing after an overcrowded boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti while travelling towards Yemen, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The vessel was carrying approximately 350 people when it overturned near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock, during the night of October 8-9. More than 80 people survived the disaster, all of them Ethiopian nationals, as search and rescue operations continued on Sunday, October 11.

The IOM said the boat was travelling along a major migration route connecting the Horn of Africa with the Arabian Peninsula. Survivor accounts indicated that the vessel capsized during the crossing towards Yemen, across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The exact circumstances that caused the boat to overturn were not immediately established. The scale of the tragedy has raised renewed concerns about the dangers faced by migrants travelling on overcrowded vessels in search of safety, employment and better economic opportunities.

Of the 109 bodies recovered, 52 were men, 42 were women and 15 were children, including nine girls and six boys, according to the UN migration agency. More than 116 people remained unaccounted for, prompting authorities to continue search and rescue operations along the affected stretch of coastline. The IOM is working with Djiboutian authorities to assist survivors, provide medical care and arrange other emergency support. Sixty-four survivors were receiving assistance at the organisation’s migrant response centre in Obock.

Also Read: UN Envoy Meets Houthi Negotiators Amid Escalating Violence In Yemen

The IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti, Alexandre Coissac, described the incident as a devastating loss of life and expressed concern for survivors and families awaiting information about missing relatives. The agency is providing healthcare, food, psychosocial support and other essential assistance to those affected. Local authorities are also coordinating recovery operations and arranging burials for those who died. The disaster is among the deadliest migrant shipwrecks recorded off Djibouti, highlighting the continuing risks associated with irregular sea crossings in the region.

Every year, tens of thousands of migrants from Ethiopia, Somalia and other parts of the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti in an attempt to reach Yemen and, eventually, Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia. Many undertake the journey to find work or escape conflict, insecurity and difficult living conditions. However, the route across the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is dangerous, particularly when smugglers transport large numbers of people on vessels that may be unsuitable for the journey.

The latest disaster comes amid continued instability in Yemen, where renewed fighting has added to the challenges facing people moving through the region. According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the eastern migration route in 2025. The agency has repeatedly called for stronger efforts to protect migrants and address the conditions that drive people to undertake dangerous journeys. Search operations continued as authorities worked to locate those still missing and provide assistance to the survivors.

Also Read: Yemen's Fuel Shortage Hampers Migrants Fleeing War As They Pursue Safety In Djibouti