At least nine people have died. And 45 others are missing. After a boat carrying more than 300 migrants and refugees sank off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said. The Djiboutian coastguard launched an emergency operation after the vessel, a traditional galba-type boat packed with 320 people, went down near Guehere in the north of the country late on Tuesday. Rescue teams pulled 266 survivors from the water, all of whom were Ethiopian nationals, and are now receiving support at the IOM’s Migrant Response Centre in Obock.

Search for the Missing Continues

Search operations for the missing are ongoing, with a coastguard official telling Al Jazeera on Thursday that the incident may be the first of many this year. Tanja Pacifico. IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti. Said the shipwreck comes at a time when the hot season is just starting in Djibouti, bringing rougher seas and strong winds that place migrants at even greater risk. A judicial investigation into the circumstances of the sinking has been opened by the Djiboutian coastguard’s Research, Investigation and Judicial Affairs Brigade.

The boat was attempting one of the world’s most perilous migration crossings along the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where Djibouti and Yemen are separated by as little as 20 kilometers (12 miles) of open water at their narrowest point. Tens of thousands of people from the Horn of Africa region each year attempt to cross that short stretch of sea in an attempt to reach the Gulf states. Those who survive the crossing then face a gruelling and dangerous overland journey through war-torn Yemen, before attempting to reach Saudi Arabia across its southern border.

Perilous Journey with High Mortality

Many never complete the journey. And according to IOM. Migrants along this so-called Eastern Route often face arbitrary arrest, trafficking, violence, and detention at every stage of the journey. IOM data shows that more than 506,000 people moved along it in 2025, an 18 percent increase on the previous year — this rise is partly due to smugglers adopting more remote coastal paths through Djibouti specifically to evade police checkpoints.

Transit movements through Obock alone rose by 58 percent last year. Approximately 922 people died or went missing on the Eastern Route in 2025, nearly double the 558 recorded the year before. This makes it the deadliest year since IOM began tracking the route in 2014. The UN’s migration agency recorded at least 7,667 migration deaths worldwide last year, approximately 21 each day.

“These deaths are not inevitable,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said in February. “When safe pathways are out of reach, people are forced into dangerous journeys and into the hands of smugglers and traffickers.” Approximately 95 percent of migrants on the Eastern Route cite economic reasons for leaving, with IOM projecting that crossings through Djibouti will remain high in the coming months.

What’s Next for Migrants and the Region

The IOM has warned that the current season is likely to be the deadliest yet for those attempting the perilous journey across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. With the hot season in Djibouti now in full swing, conditions are expected to worsen, making crossings even more dangerous. The IOM has called on the international community to support efforts to create safer migration routes and reduce the reliance on smugglers.

Officials in Djibouti are working with the IOM and other international partners to improve the situation for migrants and refugees. However, the scale of the migration crisis continues to grow, with no clear solution in sight. The recent shipwreck has only highlighted the urgent need for more thorough and effective policies to address the root causes of migration in the region.

As the search for the 45 missing continues, the focus remains on the immediate needs of the survivors and the families of the deceased. The IOM is providing medical and psychological support to those affected, while also working to ensure that the lessons from this tragedy are not forgotten. The hope is that this incident will serve as a wake-up call for governments and international organizations to take stronger action to protect the lives of migrants and refugees.

With no end in sight to the migration crisis in the Horn of Africa, the international community must act now to prevent further loss of life. The Djiboutian coastguard and IOM have stressed the importance of increasing awareness about the dangers of the Eastern Route and promoting safer alternatives for migrants seeking a better life.