At least nine migrants have died and 45 others are missing following a shipwreck off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said today. The migrants were attempting to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Djibouti to Yemen on 24 March when the incident occurred. The vessel is believed to have been carrying more than 300 people on board, according to survivors. “Every life lost at sea is one too many,” said Tanja Pacifico, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti. “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.” So far, the bodies of three women and six men have been recovered. IOM teams are providing food, shelter, and health and mental health and psychosocial support to the more than 120 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, at IOM’s Migrant Response Centre in the nearby town of Obock.

Full report : Nine Dead, 45 Missing in First Shipwreck of 2026 Off Djibouti.