At least 139 dead, 84 missing as migrant boat capsizes off Djibouti
A migrant boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, resulting in at least 139 deaths and 84 people missing. The vessel was carrying over 300 people, primarily Ethiopians, attempting to reach Yemen via the dangerous Bab al-Mandeb strait.
Why it matters
This tragedy highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the extreme risks faced by migrants traveling through the Horn of Africa to reach the Gulf states.
A member of the International Organization for Migration inspects the abandoned wreckage of a boat that capsized off the coast of Djibouti on April 12, 2026 [File: Luis Tato/AFP] At least 139 people, including 15 children, have died and 84 are missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, according to the United Nations migration agency.
In a statement on Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) quoted survivors as saying that the incident happened near Guhere off Djibouti’s eastern coast in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandeb strait from Thursday night to before dawn on Friday.
The boat was heading from Djibouti to Yemen with more than 300 people on board. More than 80 people – all Ethiopians – survived the shipwreck while Djiboutian search and rescue operations continued.
Also covering this story
10 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
139 migrants, including children, die after boat capsizes off Djibouti
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139 migrants, including children, die after boat capsizes off Djibouti - AP News
109 migrants, including 15 children dead after boat from Djibouti to Yemen capsizes, UN agency says
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139 migrants, including children, die after boat capsizes off Djibouti
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