At least 139 migrants have died after a boat capsized off Djibouti. The victims include 15 children. Around 84 people remain missing. The boat was carrying 305 people. It was travelling to Yemen. The incident occurred near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock. It happened during the night of 8 to 9 October. The International Organization for Migration disclosed the figures.
The Eastern Route runs from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and onward to Gulf countries. Migrants from Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea use it. They seek economic opportunities. The route is dangerous. Migrants face shipwrecks, trafficking and arbitrary arrests. In 2025, more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route. The number undertaking the journey increased by 18%. The conflict in Yemen and instability in Ethiopia drive the flow. Djibouti is a transit point. Its coastline is close to Yemen.
About 82 people survived. Djiboutian authorities continued search and rescue operations. They provided medical care to survivors. The IOM said its teams were assisting local authorities. It described the incident as a reminder of the dangers migrants face. The tragedy comes amid renewed fighting in Ethiopia and escalating conflict in Yemen. The fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands.
The IOM has called for safer migration pathways. It has urged governments to address the drivers of irregular migration. Those drivers include poverty, conflict and lack of opportunity. The route will remain active as long as those conditions persist.
Winners: Smugglers, who profit from desperation. No one else. Losers: The 139 dead and their families. The 84 missing. The 82 survivors, who face trauma. Migrant communities in the Horn of Africa. The IOM, which faces an impossible task. Regional stability, which erodes.
Bottom Line: A boat capsized. One hundred and thirty-nine people died. Children among them. The Eastern Route kills hundreds yearly. The numbers rise. The conflicts continue. Migrants keep coming. The route remains open. The deaths will continue.