DJIBOUTI — At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, have died after an overcrowded boat carrying 305 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti while travelling toward Yemen, the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday.

The boat overturned during the night of October 8–9 near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock, according to survivor accounts cited by the IOM. At least 82 people survived, all of them Ethiopian nationals, while 84 others remained missing as search-and-rescue operations continued.

Alexandre Coissac, the IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti, described the incident as a devastating loss of life. Survivors reported that the boat began sinking backwards shortly after they boarded, highlighting the dangers posed by overcrowded and unsafe vessels used along the migration route.

Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and recovery efforts, providing medical assistance to survivors and arranging burials for those who died. The IOM is also supporting survivors with healthcare and other humanitarian assistance, including help contacting their families.

The tragedy occurred along the so-called Eastern Route, a major migration corridor linking the Horn of Africa to Yemen and, ultimately, Gulf countries. Thousands of Ethiopians and Somalis undertake the perilous journey each year in search of employment, improved living conditions and safety, despite the risks of drowning, trafficking and exploitation.

The journey has continued despite renewed fighting and instability in Yemen, as well as conflict and difficult economic conditions in parts of Ethiopia. The IOM has reported increased movement from Ethiopia into Djibouti in recent weeks, with some migrants citing conflict, drought and other hardships as reasons for leaving their homes.

According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 900 people died or went missing along the Eastern Route in 2025, as the number of people attempting the journey increased. The agency has called for stronger support for rescue operations and safer, legal migration options to prevent further loss of life.

The disaster underscores the humanitarian risks facing migrants travelling from the Horn of Africa across the Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. For many, the decision to leave is driven by a combination of conflict, economic hardship, drought and the hope of finding work in Gulf countries.

The continuing loss of life highlights the need for coordinated action by countries of origin, transit and destination to combat migrant smuggling, strengthen search-and-rescue capacity and expand safe migration pathways. Without greater protection and viable alternatives, migrants are likely to remain exposed to dangerous crossings despite the risks.