At least 139 migrants have died and 84 others remain missing after a boat carrying 305 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti while travelling to Yemen, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

The vessel capsized near Guhere, north of the port town of Obock, during the night of October 8-9, according to accounts from survivors cited by the UN migration agency.

The disaster has become one of the deadliest shipwrecks on the migration route connecting the Horn of Africa with the Arabian Peninsula, where thousands of people undertake dangerous sea crossings in search of employment, security and better living conditions.

Search and rescue operations continue

Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and rescue operations, while local officials are providing medical care to survivors and arranging burials for those who died.

Alexandre Coissac, IOM's chief of mission in Djibouti, described the incident as a devastating loss of life and stressed the dangers faced by migrants attempting the crossing.

“Our teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance,” Coissac said, according to Reuters.

The IOM has warned that the perilous migration corridor continues to claim lives as people attempt to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between Djibouti and Yemen.

IOM Director General Amy Pope also called for action to prevent further tragedies, urging governments and donors to expand safe and legal migration routes.

“No one gets into a boat like that unless they believe there is no other safe way,” Pope said, according to the Associated Press. “We cannot keep treating these deaths as normal.”

Poverty, insecurity drive dangerous migration route

Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti each year in an attempt to reach Yemen and, ultimately, Gulf countries. Poverty, insecurity and the effects of climate change are among the factors pushing people to undertake the dangerous journey.

Despite Yemen's prolonged conflict and renewed fighting, the country remains a transit point for migrants seeking opportunities elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula.

The latest shipwreck comes amid a deteriorating security situation in Yemen. Reuters reported that displacement linked to renewed fighting had risen to about 200,000 people, up from 76,000 in mid-September. More than 3,700 people had also fled Yemen by sea to Djibouti as of the previous week.

The IOM said more than 900 migrants died or went missing along the route in 2025, highlighting the persistent risks faced by people attempting to cross the sea.

The latest tragedy has renewed calls for stronger rescue operations, humanitarian assistance and safer migration pathways to prevent further loss of life along one of the region's most dangerous migration corridors. (ILKHA)