Migrant Boat Disaster Off Djibouti Leaves 109 Dead and Scores Missing

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died when a boat sailing from Djibouti to Yemen capsized last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. The U.N. agency says search operations are continuing for more than 116 people who remain missing.

The disaster adds to the toll on a route that thousands of people from the Horn of Africa take each year, even as fighting in Yemen and instability across the region have grown.

What the IOM says happened

According to the IOM, citing survivor accounts, the boat went down near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock, on Thursday night, Oct. 8. Al Jazeera reported that the incident lasted from Thursday night until before dawn on Friday. The area is on Djibouti's eastern coast, facing the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

Reports differ on how many people were aboard. The Independent and the BBC put the number at about 350, while Al Jazeera said more than 300. The BBC described the number still missing as "dozens," while the Independent and Al Jazeera cited more than 116.

Djiboutian authorities are leading the search and rescue effort, the IOM said. The Independent reported that the Djibouti government could not immediately be reached for comment.

Who the victims and survivors are

Among the bodies recovered are 52 men, 42 women and 15 children, the IOM said. The children include nine girls and six boys.

More than 80 people survived, and all of them are Ethiopian nationals. The IOM said it is helping 64 survivors at its Migrant Response Centre in Obock, according to the Independent and the BBC. The BBC reported that the help includes health care and support to restore contact with families. Local authorities are arranging burials for the dead, the BBC added.

IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti Alexandre Coissac called it a “devastating loss of life.” He said the agency's teams are working with local authorities to provide emergency assistance.

Why the Bab al-Mandeb route stays busy

Al Jazeera reported that the waterway between Djibouti and Yemen is about 12.4 miles wide at its narrowest points. Many migrants cross it hoping to find work and safety in Gulf countries. The BBC, citing the IOM, said poverty, insecurity and the growing effects of climate change drive people to make the journey.

The IOM said last year more than half a million people tried to move along this route into Yemen, and at least 900 died or went missing. The BBC reported that the IOM counted an 18% increase in the number of people attempting the crossing. The agency also said its Displacement Tracking Matrix has recorded more than 20,000 movements from Ethiopia into Djibouti since Sept. 10.

The BBC noted that in March 2026 a similar incident killed nine people and left 45 missing.

A war zone on the other side of the water

The destination country is in turmoil. Al Jazeera reported that fighting resumed last month between Yemen's government forces and Houthi fighters. The Independent described it as the most serious escalation between Saudi Arabia-backed government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis since a U.N.-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted cross-border attacks. Al Jazeera also pointed to the wider instability linked to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

The IOM said displacement in Yemen has surged to 200,000 from 76,000 in mid-September, according to data it released last week. The Independent reported that more than 3,700 people had fled Yemen by sea to Djibouti as of last week. Djibouti is therefore both a departure point for migrants heading into Yemen and a refuge for people leaving it.

Why it matters: a dangerous crossing that continues despite the risks

For migrants and their families, the shipwreck shows how risky the sea route remains. The IOM statement said many families are still without news of relatives. The agency called the tragedy a reminder of the dangers migrants face as they seek economic opportunities.

The disaster also puts pressure on a region already absorbing large numbers of people in both directions. The IOM says more than 20,000 movements from Ethiopia into Djibouti have been recorded since Sept. 10, and thousands more people have arrived from Yemen. The Independent noted that the renewed conflict in Yemen could reshape control of the country, with implications for Red Sea shipping lanes.

The IOM said it is working with local authorities to help migrants and prevent deaths at sea and on land. Search operations for the missing are continuing, and the final death toll has not been confirmed.

Sources: The Independent, Al Jazeera, BBC News