UN says at least 109 dead after migrant boat capsizes off Djibouti
The boat was carrying about 350 people from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized near Obock; around 80 people were rescued and dozens are missing, the IOM said.
Key facts
- At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died and dozens are missing, the IOM said, according to BBC.
- The boat was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen with 350 people on board when it capsized near Obock; around 80 people were rescued, the IOM said.
- DW reported the UN said more than 200 people were dead or missing.
- All 80 survivors were Ethiopian nationals, both outlets reported.
- More than 900 migrants died or went missing on the same route in 2025, according to IOM figures cited by BBC.
At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died and dozens more are missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said, according to BBC. The boat was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen with 350 people on board when it capsized near the port town of Obock, the IOM said. Around 80 people were rescued, the IOM said.
DW reported that the UN said more than 200 people were dead or missing. BBC reported the IOM said 52 men, 42 women, nine girls and six boys were among the bodies recovered; DW reported 52 men, 42 women and 15 children. The outlets gave different dates for the capsizing: BBC reported it happened on Thursday night, while DW reported Saturday night.
IOM Djibouti mission chief Alexandre Coissac called the capsizing a "stark reminder" of the dangers migrants face while seeking a new life elsewhere, according to BBC, and called the loss of life "devastating", according to DW. The IOM said it is helping 64 survivors at its response centre in Obock with healthcare and support to restore contact with their families, BBC reported. Local authorities are arranging burials for those who died, BBC reported.
All of the survivors were Ethiopian nationals, both outlets reported. The IOM said most people attempting the crossing are from Ethiopia and Somalia, according to DW.
The IOM said its Displacement Tracking Matrix observed more than 20,000 movements from Ethiopia to Djibouti since 10 September, BBC reported. DW reported the IOM detected more than 20,000 crossings from Djibouti to Yemen in the past month. More than 900 migrants died or went missing on the same route in 2025, with an 18% increase in people attempting the journey, according to IOM figures cited by BBC. In March 2026, nine people were killed and 45 were missing after a similar incident, BBC reported.
Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and rescue operations, IOM representatives said, according to DW. DW reported the IOM urged "donors and partners to strengthen support for Djibouti's response, including search and rescue operations and life-saving assistance".
Context
Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa make the journey each year, hoping to reach Gulf countries for safety and work, according to the IOM. They cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen, which has been in civil war for more than a decade, BBC reported. The IOM says poverty, insecurity and the growing impacts of climate change drive many to make the journey, according to DW.
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