At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, died in the sinking of a boat that occurred during the night of October 8 to 9 near Guhere, north of Obock, in Djibouti. The updated toll on Sunday, October 11, by the International Organization for Migration also reports 84 people missing.
The boat was carrying 305 people heading to Yemen. Eighty-two survivors have been accounted for, all of Ethiopian nationality according to the United Nations agency, while searches continue with the Djiboutian authorities.
Survivors indicated that the boat began to sink shortly after departure. The IOM official in Djibouti, Alexandre Coissac, attributed the capsizing mainly to the overloading of the vessel in an interview with the Associated Press agency.
The rescued individuals were taken to the IOM assistance center in Obock. They are receiving medical care and psychological support there, while the authorities are also organizing the identification and burial of the victims.
The boat was attempting to reach Yemen via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, on the migratory route connecting the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula. Despite the conflict in Yemen, this corridor remains used by migrants seeking work, particularly in the Gulf countries.
IOM had recorded more than 900 deaths or disappearances on this route in 2025. Its latest monitoring in Djibouti, covering the period from September 20 to 30, already reported more complex movements due to tensions in Ethiopia and the conflict in western Yemen.
