Children among 109 dead after boat capsizes off Djibouti, UN says
At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, died after their boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti while attempting to reach Yemen. The IOM reports an increase in dangerous migration routes driven by poverty, conflict, and climate change.
Why it matters
This tragedy highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa and the extreme risks migrants take to escape instability.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, The IOM says people taking this route has increased by 18%, with boats - like the above pictured from April 2026 - getting into trouble
At least 109 migrants including 15 children have died and dozens more are still missing after a boat sank off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said.
The boat was travelling from Djibouti to Yemen with 350 people on board, when it capsized near the port town of Obock on Thursday night. Around 80 people were rescued, the IOM said.
IOM's Djibouti mission chief Alexandre Coissac called the tragedy a "stark reminder" of the dangers migrants face while seeking a new life elsewhere.
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