ADDIS ABABA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- At least nine migrants have died, and 45 others are missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday.
"A tragic shipwreck occurred during the night of March 24 off the coast of Djibouti. Nine dead, 45 missing, out of 320 passengers," the IOM announced in an update on the social media platform X.
The United Nations migration agency said it is working with local authorities to assist survivors and support search and rescue efforts.
So far, the bodies of three women and six men have been recovered, while over 120 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, are currently receiving assistance at IOM's Migrant Response Center in the nearby town of Obock.
"This tragic shipwreck may sadly mark the first of many incidents this year and 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," Tanja Pacifico, IOM chief of mission in Djibouti, warned in a statement.
According to the statement, the migrants were attempting to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Djibouti to Yemen when the incident occurred. The movement also took place at "a time of mounting instability across the Middle East."
The IOM classified the Red Sea route, also known as the eastern migration route connecting the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, as "one of the busiest and riskiest migration routes in the world traveled by hundreds of thousands of migrants, most of whom travel irregularly, often relying on smugglers to facilitate movement."
In a report released on Monday, the IOM disclosed that 922 deaths and disappearances were recorded along the eastern route in 2025, almost double the 558 reported in 2024, making 2025 the deadliest year on record since its Missing Migrants Project was launched in 2014.
Over the past decade, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, estimated that this route has claimed around 3,400 lives. With the surge in irregular migration traffic matched by a worsening humanitarian toll, experts urge a coordinated regional response, as thousands of desperate migrants continue to risk their lives crossing the perilous waters.
Agnes Igoye, a migration expert with IGAD, told Xinhua recently that the route is a key pathway for irregular migrants from Horn of Africa countries as they attempt to cross "harsh overland treks through deserts and risky sea voyages" in hopes of reaching Yemen, often seen as a gateway to Gulf countries.
She said limited safe and regular migration pathways, coupled with deepening economic hardship, leave many with few alternatives. The promise of work in the Middle East and Gulf countries continues to draw young people despite the grave risks.
Experts and policymakers emphasize that addressing the escalating challenges associated with the Red Sea migration route requires a comprehensive strategy that targets the root causes of migration through long-term measures to address conflict, poverty, unemployment, and climate-related challenges.
