More than 60 migrants, mostly Ethiopians, drowned after their boat capsized off Yemen’s southern coast in rough weather.
At least 68 people have been confirmed dead and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying around 150 migrants capsized off the southern coast of Yemen in rough weather on Sunday. The vessel, which sank in the waters near Abyan province, is believed to have been carrying primarily Ethiopian nationals attempting to reach Gulf states via one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes.
Twelve survivors have been rescued so far, and a major search and rescue operation is under way. According to Abdusattor Esoev, Yemen chief for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the vessel was transporting 157 people when it went down — a tragedy the IOM has called “heartbreaking.”
The bodies of 54 migrants were recovered along the shores of Khanfar district, while another 14 were taken to the morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan. Local authorities said a large number of bodies were found scattered across the coastline, and efforts to locate missing individuals continue.
“This heartbreaking incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced protection mechanisms for migrants undertaking perilous journeys, often facilitated by unscrupulous smugglers who exploit desperation and vulnerability,” an IOM spokesperson said in a statement.
Yemen has long served as a transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa, particularly Ethiopia, seeking employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. Despite the country’s ongoing conflict and instability, tens of thousands continue to make the treacherous sea crossing each year.
Esoev stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of irregular migration and expanding safe, legal pathways for those seeking better futures. “What we are advocating for all member states is to enhance their regular pathways so people can take legal ways in order to migrate, instead of being trapped or deceived by smugglers and taking those dangerous journeys,” he said.
The IOM has consistently warned about the dangers of the maritime route between the Horn of Africa and Yemen, describing it as “one of the busiest and most perilous mixed migration routes.” In March, two similar shipwrecks off Yemen’s Dhubab district left nearly all 180 passengers missing and presumed dead.
In addition to the physical risks, migrants arriving at IOM’s Migrant Response Points in Yemen have reported increasingly reckless behaviour by smugglers — including launching boats in dangerous weather to evade coastal patrols.
Despite the mounting dangers, more than 60,000 migrants have already arrived in Yemen in 2024 alone. The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project records over 3,400 deaths and disappearances on this route over the past decade, with 1,400 attributed to drowning.
As the humanitarian crisis grows, international agencies are calling for urgent intervention to strengthen migration governance, crack down on smuggling networks, and provide safer options for people fleeing hardship in their home countries.
