At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, killed after boat capsizes off Djibouti

A boat carrying at least 109 migrants, including 15 children, capsized off the coast of Djibouti, resulting in the deaths of 109 people and the disappearance of 116 others, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The incident occurred during the night of October 8-9 as the vessel journeyed from Djibouti to Yemen.

Of the 109 bodies recovered, 52 were male, 42 were female, and 15 were children, comprising nine girls and six boys. Over 80 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, are being assisted at the IOM's Obock Migrant Response Centre (MRC), which offers medical care, psychological support, protection services, temporary shelter, food aid, and assistance in reconnecting families.

IOM Chief of Mission Alexandre Coissac expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and emphasized the ongoing dangers faced by migrants in this migration route. Djiboutian authorities and local teams continue search and rescue efforts, while also providing medical aid to survivors and organizing proper burials for those who lost their lives.

The IOM has recorded more than 20,000 crossings to Djibouti from Ethiopia since September 10, 2023, and in 2025, over 900 migrants have died or gone missing along the sea route to Yemen, a 18 percent increase compared to previous years.