Death toll after shipwreck off Djibouti rises to 139
The International Organization for Migration also reports 84 missing after the crossing towards Yemen.
Follow-up to: Migrant boat off Djibouti sinks: 109 dead Sunday, 11 October 2026, 13:19
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At least 139 migrants have died in a shipwreck off the coast of Djibouti, according to the International Organization for Migration. At least 84 people are still missing; the vessel was carrying more than 300 people.
The new figures were released on Sunday by the International Organization for Migration, the IOM. According to the organisation, a boat travelling from Djibouti towards Yemen capsized shortly after departure. The crossing took place on a dangerous migration route through the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Earlier reports on the disaster gave a lower death toll. The IOM later increased the figure after more victims had been recovered and buried in Djibouti. According to the organisation, not all those who died have yet been included in the official figure, because some bodies were buried by fellow passengers and could not yet be verified.
According to AP, about 305 people were on board. At least 139 of them have died and 84 are missing. Alexandre Coissac, the IOM mission chief in Djibouti, said the boat was believed to have departed on the evening of 8 October and capsized shortly afterwards.
Survivors are being accommodated at the IOM reception centre in Obock. They are receiving medical assistance and psychosocial support there. The organisation warned that conditions on this route are particularly dangerous and that search-and-rescue and reception capacity in Djibouti is limited.
Many people travel from the Horn of Africa towards Yemen in the hope of finding work in the Gulf region. The route is also used by people trying to escape poverty, conflict or insecurity. This makes the boundary between labour migration, flight and people smuggling difficult to draw in practice.
The IOM has long called for better cooperation between countries along the route, greater search-and-rescue capacity and safe alternatives to dangerous crossings. Such measures cannot immediately eliminate people smugglers, but could reduce dependence on overcrowded and poorly equipped boats.
The exact number of victims may still change. The 139 deaths are the official number that could be confirmed on Sunday; the fate of those missing remains unknown. No complete overview of the identities and nationalities of all those on board has yet been published.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- At least 139 people died in a shipwreck off Djibouti.
- 84 people are missing.
- The IOM is calling for better reception facilities, search-and-rescue capacity and safe migration routes.
Left
Arguments The disaster shows that people need safe and legal routes; deterrence without protection pushes migrants towards smugglers and dangerous boats instead.
Values Human dignity, international solidarity and access to protection.
Consequences More resettlement, search-and-rescue capacity and labour routes could save lives, but require long-term international funding.
Centre
Arguments Countries in the region must rescue people, organise reception and combat people smuggling at the same time. No single country can manage this route alone.
Values Practical cooperation, the rule of law and feasibility.
Consequences Regional agreements can reduce the risks, but will not quickly resolve the causes of migration.
Right
Arguments The route should be more tightly controlled and people smuggling should be discouraged; otherwise the dangerous crossing will continue to reinforce itself.
Values Border management, national responsibility and enforcement.
Consequences Stricter controls may disrupt smuggling networks, but without safe alternatives migration may become clandestine and more dangerous.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The figures are based on the new IOM tally as described by AP and other public media. Uncertainties about those missing, identities and the final death toll are explicitly stated.
- confirmed At least 139 migrants have died and 84 are missing. — New IOM tally, reported by AP. source
- confirmed More than 300 people were on board. — AP mentions approximately 305 people on board. source
- confirmed The boat departed on 8 October and capsized shortly afterwards. — Based on information from the IOM mission chief in Djibouti. source
- confirmed Survivors are being accommodated by the IOM in Obock. — Reported by AP. source
Editor's note
The death toll and number of missing people are from a new IOM tally. The identities of all the victims and the final death toll remain uncertain.Sources
The story so far
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 13:19 Migrant boat off Djibouti sinks: 109 dead
- Sunday, 11 October 2026, 21:02 Death toll after shipwreck off Djibouti rises to 139 (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „djibouti jemen”
- NOS — „djibouti jemen”
- Het Parool — „djibouti jemen”