Last minute... Horror in the water! Immigrant boat sank: 109 deaths, including 15 children

According to the statement made by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the incident occurred on the night of October 8-9, when a boat going from Djibouti to Yemen sank off the coast of Guhere, north of the city of Obock. During the search launched after the boat carrying 305 people sank, the dead bodies of 109 people, including 15 children, were found.

It was stated that 9 of the children who lost their lives were girls and 6 were boys, while the dead bodies of 52 men and 42 women were taken out of the sea. It was reported that 116 people were lost at sea in the accident.

In the statement, it was reported that 80 people were rescued alive from the accident and all of them were Ethiopian nationals. It was stated that 64 survivors were provided with shelter, food, health and psychosocial support at IOM's Obock Immigrant Response Center. It was reported that Djibouti authorities continue their search and rescue activities to reach the missing persons.

IOM Djibouti Mission Chief Alexandre Coissac stated that emergency aid was provided to local authorities following the loss of lives and emphasized that the incident once again shows the risks faced by migrants trying to reach the Gulf countries from the Horn of Africa.

The statement also shared the information that more than 900 immigrants died or went missing on this route in 2025, and that 9 people died and 45 people went missing in the boat accident in March 2026.