139 migrants, including children, die after boat capsizes off Djibouti

An overcrowded boat carrying 305 migrants sank shortly after leaving Djibouti for Yemen. It capsized close to shore on Thursday night or Friday morning, according to the IOM. The vessel was carrying more than 300 people, mainly Ethiopian nationals.

Authorities had confirmed at least 139 deaths, counting only people buried by Djiboutian authorities. At least 84 people remained missing. More than 80 migrants survived, and all identified survivors were Ethiopian nationals. The boat sank mainly because it was overcrowded, the IOM said.

The figures were not final. Some migrants had buried bodies themselves, but those deaths could not enter the official count until authorities verified them. Rescue work continued, and the IOM warned that the death toll could rise. Survivors were taken to an IOM center for medical and psychological support.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a narrow waterway separating Djibouti in the Horn of Africa from Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. The article identifies it as the crossing used by tens of thousands of migrants each year. Its waters connect the African and Arabian sides of this migration corridor.

The migrants in this disaster boarded a boat in Djibouti and headed toward Yemen. Many migrants continue this journey because they hope to find work in wealthy Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. The article also describes the journey as a search for safety and economic opportunity.

The crossing is perilous, yet migration has continued despite newly escalating fighting in Yemen. More than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route last year, according to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project. The shipwreck shows how dangerous the sea passage can become when boats are overcrowded.

The route is large as well as dangerous. The IOM says tens of thousands of migrants travel through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait toward Gulf countries every year. That makes it a major migration corridor between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Its risks are severe. More than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route last year. This shipwreck was described as one of the deadliest yet. A boat carrying 305 people sank soon after departure, leaving at least 139 confirmed dead and 84 missing.

The article does not provide figures for other migration routes, so it cannot establish a numerical comparison. It does show that this corridor remains active despite deadly crossings and escalating fighting in Yemen. Without safer options, large numbers of people continue to attempt the journey, and future disasters remain possible.

Migrants from the Horn of Africa use this route because they are seeking economic opportunities and safety. Many hope to reach wealthy Gulf countries, especially places such as Saudi Arabia, where they may look for work. The journey is part of a long-established migration pattern across the strait.

The article quotes the IOM director-general saying that no one boards such a boat unless they believe there is no other safe way. In this case, more than 300 people crowded onto one vessel. It sank soon after leaving shore, with the IOM saying overcrowding was the main cause.

The choice is especially dangerous because fighting in Yemen has recently escalated. Yet migration toward Yemen has continued. The article does not describe each migrant’s personal circumstances or list available legal routes. It makes clear that the combination of economic hopes, safety concerns, and limited perceived alternatives keeps people moving despite the risk.

After a disaster, survivors may face both physical injury and deep shock. The IOM brought survivors to its rescue center in Obock, where they received medical assistance after swallowing seawater. They also received psychological support, and officials said many were in a state of shock.

Families faced painful uncertainty. Some survivors already knew relatives had died. Others were given phones to tell loved ones back home that they were alive. Meanwhile, authorities struggled with bodies arriving all at once. Some migrants were buried by fellow migrants in unnamed common graves.

The official death count therefore lagged behind the likely total. Djiboutian authorities had counted 139 buried bodies, but deaths from migrant-organized burials could not be added until authorities verified them. At least 84 people remained missing, so rescue efforts and identification work continued while families waited for answers.

Safer legal pathways would let people seek work or protection without paying smugglers or boarding dangerously overcrowded boats. They could reduce the need for migrants to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in vessels that lack enough space and safety. The article presents such pathways as a way to save lives.

For workers, regulated employment routes could connect migrants with jobs in Gulf countries before they travel. For people escaping danger, humanitarian admission, family reunification, or other protection routes could provide a safer process. These examples are established policy options, but the article itself does not describe specific programs for this corridor.

The IOM director-general asked governments and donors to act before another boat sinks. The immediate evidence is stark: more than 900 migrants died or went missing on the route last year, and this wreck killed at least 139 people. Expanding safe, legal choices could make dangerous sea crossings less necessary.

Conflict and poverty can push people to leave, while labor demand can pull them toward countries offering jobs. The article describes migrants traveling from the Horn of Africa toward Gulf countries in search of economic opportunities. It also notes that fighting in Yemen has escalated, yet the migration movement continues.

The mechanism is straightforward: when people want work or safety but cannot see a safe legal route, they may accept a dangerous journey. Hundreds crowded onto the boat in this case. It sank soon after departure, and the IOM said overcrowding was mainly responsible. The promised destination and the immediate risk became part of the same corridor.

Immigration policies can shape whether safer choices exist, but the article does not explain the policies of the countries involved. It does report the IOM’s call for safe and legal pathways. Governments and donors are urged to act before more people die or disappear along the route.