At least 139 migrants have died and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying 305 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti.
According to reports, the vessel overturned near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock, overnight from Thursday into Friday while attempting to cross the dangerous Bab el-Mandeb Strait towards Yemen.
The death toll rose from 109 to 139 on Saturday after Djiboutian authorities recovered 30 more bodies. With 82 survivors confirmed, dozens of others are still unaccounted for as search operations continue.
Among the dead are 15 children, according to reports from the scene.
All 82 survivors are Ethiopian nationals, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said. Sixty-four of them are receiving medical care, psychological support, food and emergency assistance at the IOM’s Migrant Response Centre in Obock.
Photos from the site show IOM workers handing out drinking water to survivors, while forensic teams and the Djibouti Coast Guard inspect a beach strewn with shoes and clothing. Wreckage from the boat was visible in the water.
The migrants were part of a larger movement along the Eastern Route, a key transit corridor for people from the Horn of Africa seeking work in Gulf states. The IOM says it has recorded more than 20,000 movements from Ethiopia into Djibouti since September 10.
The tragedy is the latest on the route, where more than 900 migrants died or went missing in 2025 alone.
The cause of the capsizing is still unknown, and search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
Credit: Viory
