The death toll from the shipwreck off Djibouti has climbed to 139, the UN Migration agency — the International Organization for Migration (IOM) — confirmed in its latest update on the disaster.

The figure makes the sinking one of the deadliest maritime incidents recorded on the migrant route that runs through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb strait toward the Arabian Peninsula. The IOM released the updated count as search and recovery operations continued along the country's coastline.

Djibouti sits on one of the busiest irregular migration corridors in the region. Each year, thousands of people — largely from Ethiopia and Somalia — cross the country's territory hoping to reach Yemen and, ultimately, Gulf labour markets such as Saudi Arabia. Smugglers typically move migrants in overcrowded boats that depart at night from Djibouti's shores.

What does the updated toll mean?

The rise to 139 confirmed deaths signals that recovery teams have found additional victims since the first reports of the sinking. IOM updates of this kind usually track bodies recovered, survivors accounted for, and people still missing.

For families of the missing, the difference between the initial count and the revised figure is concrete: each added number represents a person recovered from the water or the shore. The final toll may still change as operations continue.

Who is affected?

Migrants travelling the Eastern Route — the corridor from the Horn of Africa to Yemen — face this route's risks directly. The IOM has long identified the crossing between Djibouti and Yemen as one of the most dangerous maritime passages for migrants anywhere in the world.

Beyond the victims and their families, the disaster affects:

• Communities in Ethiopia and Somalia where most route users originate;
• Djiboutian coastal authorities responsible for rescue and recovery;
• IOM field teams that document deaths, assist survivors and support family notifications.

What happens next?

IOM will continue to update the confirmed toll as recovery efforts proceed. The agency's data feeds into its Missing Migrants Project, the global database that records deaths and disappearances along migration routes worldwide.

The disaster also renews pressure on states along the corridor to expand safe channels, disrupt smuggling networks, and strengthen search-and-rescue capacity at sea. The IOM has repeatedly urged coordinated regional action, arguing that enforcement alone does not stop movement when conflict, poverty and drought keep pushing people onto boats.

Readers seeking official figures and updates should follow the International Organization for Migration's published statements on the incident, which remain the authoritative source for the death toll and casualty details as they evolve.

Passport File reports on migration routes, border rules and migrant-safety developments for a global audience. This article summarizes publicly released information and does not constitute legal or travel advice.