Tragic Capsizing of Migrant Boat Off Yemen’s Coast Claims Lives
At least 68 Ethiopian migrants have drowned and 74 are reported missing after an overloaded smuggling vessel capsized near the coast of Abyan province, Yemen. This incident highlights the ongoing dangers faced by migrants navigating one of the world’s most perilous maritime routes, reports 24brussels.
The boat, carrying 154 individuals, capsized amid treacherous conditions. The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed that twelve survivors were rescued. Abdusattor Esoev, head of the IOM in Yemen, reported the recovery of 54 bodies in the Khanfar district, with an additional 14 discovered later and taken to a local hospital for identification.
Recovery operations are currently ongoing despite the challenging circumstances in the area, with Abdul Qader Bajamil, director of the health office in Zanzibar, announcing plans to bury the deceased near Shaqra.
The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden remain central, yet extremely hazardous, passageways for migrants fleeing conflict and economic hardship in East Africa. Many seek refuge in Yemen or aim to reach better opportunities in Gulf states. Despite Yemen’s unstable conditions, the flow of migrants continues, with the IOM reporting over 60,000 arrivals in 2024, albeit a decline from the previous year.
Yemen has hosted about 380,000 refugees and migrants as unstable conditions persist. The maritime journey has proven lethal, with 558 reported deaths in 2023 alone. Over the last decade, at least 2,082 individuals have gone missing while crossing, and 693 are confirmed to have drowned.
The IOM has categorized this route as one of the “busiest and most perilous” globally, frequently utilized by smugglers operating overcrowded and unsafe vessels. The ongoing tragedies underscore the need for safe migration routes and increased humanitarian support for vulnerable populations.
As the search for missing individuals continues and bodies wash ashore, this latest tragedy reflects the dire consequences of unsafe migration routes, amplifying calls for international assistance and the establishment of safer alternatives for displaced populations across the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
