109 dead after ship capsizes off coast of Djibouti, UN agency says

A ship has capsized off the coast of Djibouti, leaving 109 migrants dead and more than 116 missing, a United Nations agency has reported.

Fifteen children are among the dead, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The ship was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized near Guhere, north of Obock, on the night of 8 October, survivors told the IOM.

There were more than 80 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, the agency added.

"This is a devastating loss of life. Our thoughts are with the survivors and the families who have lost loved ones or remain without news of their relatives," said Alexandre Coissac, the IOM's chief of mission in Djibouti.

"Our teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities."

The IOM says that it is assisting 64 survivors at its Obock Migrant Response Centre while Djiboutian authorities continue search and rescue operations.

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Thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti, and cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Yemen in search of safety and employment, the IOM added.

The agency said that violence in Yemen has not deterred migrants, who can face violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, exploitation and trafficking in the country.

More than 900 migrants died, or went missing, along the route in 2025, according to IOM's Missing Migrants Project.

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(c) Sky News 2026: 109 dead after ship capsizes off coast of Djibouti, UN agency says