The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Sunday that a ship carrying 305 immigrants capsized near the coast of Djibouti, resulting in at least 109 deaths, including 15 children. This incident has been described as the most serious shipwreck in the country’s history.
According to The Guardian, after the accident, an additional 116 people remain missing. Survivors reported that the incident occurred overnight from October 8th to 9th near the town of Guhere, north of Obock, as the ship was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen.
Among the recovered bodies, there were 52 men, 42 women, and 15 children. The IOM added that 80 survivors, all Ethiopian citizens, have been accounted for.
“This is a devastating loss. Our deepest condolences go out to the survivors and to the families who have lost loved ones or are still awaiting news of their relatives,” said Alexandre Coissac, the IOM’s Chief of Mission in Djibouti.
Coissac emphasized, “This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the risks migrants face seeking economic opportunities along this migration route.”
The organization is providing medical, psychosocial support, food, and other aid to 64 survivors at its migrant assistance center in Obock, while also arranging funerals for the deceased.
The route between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula is one of the busiest cross-border migration pathways globally. Tens of thousands of people, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia, travel through this route annually to Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia.
The reasons for leaving their homes vary among migrants, with some forced to flee due to armed conflicts and natural disasters, while others seek job opportunities and economic prospects.
According to the IOM, this eastern migration route is also considered one of the most dangerous globally. Some migrants die during long journeys in extreme heat, while others perish in overloaded ships arranged by human traffickers in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden.
Based on data from the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, over 900 individuals died or went missing on this migration route in 2025, with a simultaneous 18% increase in the number of people embarking on this journey. In March of this year, another migrant shipwreck resulted in 9 deaths and 45 people missing.
At the time of this maritime tragedy, armed conflicts along the coastal areas of the Red Sea in Yemen continue. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi-supported government forces are engaged in battles for strategic highlands along the Red Sea coast.
The Djibouti Office for Refugees and Disaster Victims (ONARS) stated that the related violent conflicts have forced over 3,800 individuals to seek shelter in Djibouti.
The IOM has called for enhanced cooperation among all parties to provide protection and necessary assistance to migrants, to prevent further loss of life due to perilous cross-border journeys.