At least 68 African migrants have died and 74 remain missing after a boat carrying 154 Ethiopian nationals capsized off southern Yemen on Sunday, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The incident occurred near Abyan province in the Gulf of Aden. IOM Yemen Chief Abdusattor Esoev reported that 54 bodies were found in Khanfar district, with 14 more recovered in the provincial capital, Zinjibar. Only 12 survivors have been confirmed, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Yemeni authorities have launched a large-scale search and recovery operation, with bodies found along a wide stretch of coastline.
This is the latest in a series of fatal incidents along the East Africa–Yemen migration route. In March alone, four boats capsized off Yemen and Djibouti, leaving at least two dead and 186 missing. Despite ongoing conflict, Yemen remains a major transit point for migrants hoping to reach Gulf nations.
The IOM reports a decrease in arrivals: 60,000 in 2024 compared to 97,200 in 2023, likely due to increased patrols. However, the reliance on unsafe smuggling routes continues to cost lives.
This tragedy highlights the urgent need for coordinated international action to improve migration governance and humanitarian protection along high-risk transit corridors.
