The death toll from a migrant boat capsizing off Djibouti has risen to 139, while 84 people remain missing, according to the International Organization for Migration. Search and recovery operations are continuing near Guehere, north of the coastal town of Obock.
The vessel was carrying 305 people from Djibouti towards Yemen when it overturned during the night of October 8–9. In a statement issued on Sunday, IOM said the recovery of another 30 bodies had increased the confirmed death toll from 109 to 139.
Approximately 82 people survived. The disaster underscores the dangers facing migrants attempting the sea crossing between the Horn of Africa and Yemen along the Eastern Migration Route.
Rescue Operations Continue Near Obock
Djiboutian authorities are continuing efforts to locate those still missing, with IOM supporting the emergency response. The agency said it was coordinating with local authorities to assist survivors and strengthen efforts to prevent further deaths.
At its Migrant Response Centre in Obock, IOM is providing healthcare, psychosocial support, food, shelter and protection services to people who survived the capsizing. The agency warned that rising humanitarian needs were exceeding the funding available. It appealed to international donors and partners to strengthen Djibouti’s search and rescue capacity and support assistance for vulnerable migrants.
IOM Urges Safe and Legal Migration Options
IOM Director General Amy Pope called for urgent action to prevent similar disasters, urging governments and donors to expand safe and legal migration pathways. Pope said people undertake dangerous boat journeys when they believe safer alternatives are unavailable. She urged the international community to act before another vessel is lost and stressed that migrant deaths should not be accepted as routine. The agency’s appeal places renewed attention on both immediate rescue needs and the wider pressures that push people towards hazardous migration routes.
Migration Route Exposes Travellers to Further Risks
The Eastern Migration Route connects the Horn of Africa with Yemen through Djibouti and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Many migrants hope to continue towards Gulf countries in search of employment, safety and more stable living conditions.
Poverty, regional insecurity and climate-related pressures contribute to these journeys. According to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, more than 20,000 incoming migrant movements from Ethiopia into Djibouti had been recorded since September 10.
Reaching Yemen does not end the danger. Migrants can face violence, arbitrary arrest, detention, exploitation and human trafficking, adding further risks to an already difficult journey.
IOM’s Missing Migrants Project recorded more than 900 deaths or disappearances along the corridor in 2025, while journeys increased by 18 per cent. A separate shipwreck in March 2026 left nine people dead and 45 missing.
