• At least 109 migrants dead, including 15 children, after a boat capsized off Djibouti.
• More than 116 people are still missing, with over 80 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals.
• The tragedy underscores the dangers migrants face seeking economic opportunities in the Gulf.

On the night of October 8-9, a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, resulting in at least 109 confirmed deaths, including 15 children. Additionally, more than 116 people remain unaccounted for. The vessel, which originated from Djibouti and was headed to Yemen, carried approximately 350 individuals at the time of the incident, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports Le Monde, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

The incident occurred near the port town of Obock, with survivor accounts indicating that the boat capsized during the early hours. Local authorities and IOM teams are actively conducting search and rescue operations and providing emergency assistance to survivors at a response center in Obock. The IOM described this national tragedy as a "stark reminder" of the perilous conditions faced by migrants pursuing economic opportunities in the Gulf states India Times.

The IOM has reported a troubling rise in death and disappearance rates for migrants attempting to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with over 20,000 movements recorded since early September from Ethiopia to Djibouti. Current geopolitical tensions and humanitarian crises in the Middle East are intensifying these dangers; despite the ongoing conflict in Yemen, migrants continue to undertake these treacherous journeys Le Monde, Al Jazeera, and BBC.