Tragedy at Sea: At Least 109 Dead, Over 100 Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Djibouti

OBOCK, DJIBOUTI — At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died after a overcrowded vessel capsized off the coast of Djibouti, according to statements released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Emergency teams and local authorities are conducting active search and rescue operations as more than 116 people remain missing in the waters of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The disaster occurred along the perilous sea route north of the coastal town of Obock. According to survivor accounts, the boat was carrying roughly 305 to 350 passengers—predominantly Ethiopian nationals—en route from Djibouti across the Red Sea toward Yemen.

Overnight, the vessel encountered severe conditions and capsized, throwing hundreds into open waters. Search and recovery operations led by Djiboutian authorities alongside UN humanitarian teams have recovered 109 bodies from the water, including 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children (nine girls and six boys).

More than 80 survivors managed to reach safety or were pulled from the water by local rescuers. Medical personnel are administering emergency care and trauma support to survivors on the ground, while authorities work to arrange dignified burials for those who lost their 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 Chief of Mission in Djibouti. "This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities."

Despite active conflict and instability in Yemen, tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa attempt the dangerous crossing through Djibouti each year, seeking safety or employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.

Humanitarian agencies have called on international donors to strengthen emergency assistance, maritime security, and search-and-rescue capacity across the region to prevent further loss of life.