At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, died when a small boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti. Twenty‑one people were still missing after the tragedy, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The vessel, which had departed from Djibouti bound for Yemen, was carrying about 305 passengers when it overturned near the port town of Obock late on Thursday night. Of the 305 aboard, 82 survivors were pulled from the water by local authorities and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Rescue teams reached the site within an hour, but the waves had already taken 139 lives.
"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’s Djibouti mission chief, describing the incident as a “stark reminder” of the dangers faced by migrants seeking a new life.
All of the surviving 64 migrants are Ethiopian nationals. They received medical care and support at IOM’s emergency response centre in Obock, with assistance to re‑establish contact with their families. Local authorities are organising burials for those who have died.
Since 10 September, the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix recorded more than 20 000 “movements” from Ethiopia to Djibouti, signalling a surge in the perilous journey that people make across the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait into Yemen. The war in Yemen, which has raged for more than a decade, continues to push thousands to flee to neighbouring countries, despite the risk of drowning.
In 2025, more than 900 migrants died or went missing on the same route during an 18% increase in the number of people attempting the journey. Earlier this month, nine people were killed in a similar boat sinking, underscoring the recurrent nature of the tragedy.
