Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Djibouti, Killing Over 100

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died after a boat capsized off Djibouti, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM). More than 116 individuals remain missing following the incident, which occurred near Guhere, north of the fishing town of Obock.

The boat, carrying an estimated 305 people, capsized during the night of October 8-9 while sailing from Djibouti to Yemen. Survivor accounts indicate that over 80 people survived the shipwreck, all of whom are Ethiopian nationals. Among the recovered bodies, 52 were men, 42 were women, and 15 were children, including nine girls and six boys.

"Our teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance," said Alexandre Coissac, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti. "This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities." The IOM is providing healthcare, psychosocial support, food, and other assistance at its migrant response center in Obock.

Djiboutian authorities are continuing search-and-rescue operations, and local officials are providing medical care to survivors and arranging burials for the deceased. The Ethiopian and Djiboutian governments have been approached for comment.

The route from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula is a major migration path, traversed annually by hundreds of thousands of people, primarily Ethiopians and Somalis, making it one of the world's busiest. The IOM describes the eastern route as one of the most dangerous globally, involving long journeys in harsh conditions and perilous sea crossings orchestrated by smugglers.

The region is experiencing heightened instability. Yemen is facing a significant escalation in fighting between Saudi Arabia-backed government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis, the most serious since a UN-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. The IOM has noted an alarming rise in displacement due to the conflict, with figures surging from 76,000 in mid-September to 200,000. Over 3,700 people have fled Yemen by sea to Djibouti.

Additionally, fighting broke out in Ethiopia last month, marking the largest escalation of violence since the Tigray war.