Children are among 109 people killed after a boat sank off the coast of Djibouti

The International Organization for Migration announced that at least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died, and dozens are still missing after a boat sank off the coast of Djibouti.

The boat was heading from Djibouti to Yemen with 350 people on board, when it capsized near the coastal city of Obock on Thursday night. The International Organization for Migration said about 80 people were rescued.

The IOM's head of mission in Djibouti, Alexandre Koisak, described the tragedy as a "stark reminder" of the risks migrants face as they seek a new life elsewhere.

According to the United Nations agency, tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa make this perilous journey every year in the hope of reaching the Gulf countries in search of safety and work.

The organization said in a statement issued on Friday that among the bodies recovered were 52 men, 42 women, nine girls and six boys.

“This is a terrible loss of life,” Kowisak said.

He added: "Our hearts go out to the survivors and the families who lost their loved ones or who still have no news of their relatives."

Local authorities are also arranging burial ceremonies for the dead, while the injured survivors - all of whom are Ethiopian citizens - receive the necessary medical care.

Yemen remains mired in a civil war that has lasted for more than a decade. Despite this conflict, and the increasing instability in the entire region, migrants continue to cross the Bab al-Mandab Strait into Yemen, driven by poverty, insecurity, and the worsening effects of climate change.

The International Organization for Migration said that since September 10, its Displacement Tracking Matrix has monitored more than 20,000 “movements” from Ethiopia to Djibouti.

The International Organization for Migration said it was providing assistance to 64 survivors at its response center in Obock, including health care and support to reconnect with their families.

She added that the UN agency is working "in close cooperation" with local authorities to help migrants and "prevent deaths at sea and on land."

According to International Organization for Migration figures, more than 900 migrants died or went missing crossing the same route in 2025, with an 18 percent increase in the number of people attempting the journey.

In March 2026, nine people were killed and 45 others went missing after a similar incident.