Djibouti Boat Capsizing Leaves at Least 139 Migrants Dead, UN Says

What changed

At least 139 migrants, including 15 children, died when a boat carrying 305 people from Djibouti to Yemen capsized near Obock on Thursday night. Around 82 people were rescued, while dozens remain missing. The death toll rose from 109 to 139 after 30 more bodies were recovered on Sunday.

Why it matters

This was not a one-off crossing gone wrong. More than 20,000 people have travelled from Ethiopia to Djibouti since 10 September, and more than 900 migrants died or went missing on the same route in 2025.

The survivors are all Ethiopian nationals. Djibouti authorities are arranging burials, while the International Organization for Migration is providing healthcare and family-contact support to 64 people at its Obock centre.

The route remains active despite Yemen’s war and wider regional instability. Poverty, insecurity and climate pressures are still pushing people toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where the danger is now measured in repeated mass-casualty incidents rather than isolated accidents.

The final toll will likely rise if more missing people are found dead. The cause of the capsizing has not been reported, but the immediate reality is clear: rescue efforts are dealing with the aftermath of a crossing that continues to draw thousands of people.