At least 139 migrants dead, 84 missing after boat capsizes off Djibouti

At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, have died and 84 remain missing after an overcrowded boat capsized off Djibouti while travelling to Yemen, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday.

The vessel was carrying 305 people when it sank near Guhere, north of Obock, during the night of October 8 to 9. A total of 82 people survived, all Ethiopian nationals.

IOM Director General Amy Pope called for urgent action to prevent further deaths along dangerous migration routes, saying that "we cannot keep treating these deaths as normal. Safe and legal pathways save lives."

IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti Alexandre Coissac said the death toll could rise as authorities continued identifying victims. The official count includes only bodies buried by Djiboutian authorities, while other migrants reportedly buried some victims before they could be formally identified.

Coissac said overcrowding was the main cause of the disaster. Survivors are receiving medical treatment and psychological support at an IOM center in Obock.

The crossing from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula remains a major migration route for people seeking safety and work in Gulf countries. More than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route in 2025, according to IOM, which has repeatedly warned of the dangers of irregular migration.

(With input from wires)