Dozens Dead and Scores Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Yemen Coast

At least 68 African migrants have died and 74 remain missing after a boat carrying mostly Ethiopians capsized off Yemen’s southern coast, highlighting the dangers of irregular migration routes across the Gulf of Aden.

At least 68 African migrants have died and 74 remain missing after a packed migrant boat capsized off the southern coast of Yemen, in one of the deadliest maritime disasters this year.

According to the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM), the vessel was carrying 154 people, most of them Ethiopians, when it overturned in the Gulf of Aden. Only 12 survivors have been confirmed, and search operations are ongoing as bodies continue to wash ashore.

The tragedy has once again drawn international attention to the perilous migration routes used by tens of thousands of people fleeing poverty, violence, and instability in the Horn of Africa. Despite being engulfed in civil conflict, Yemen remains a major transit point for migrants attempting to reach wealthier Gulf states in search of work and safety.

"These are people taking unimaginable risks in search of a better future," said Mohammedali Abunajela, a spokesperson for the IOM. "Many are unaware of the dangers they face, including treacherous sea crossings, human trafficking, and abuse."

The latest incident underscores the rising human cost of irregular migration. The IOM reports that over 60,000 migrants—mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia—crossed into Yemen in 2024 alone. Many endure extreme deprivation, torture, sexual violence, and forced labour at the hands of traffickers and militias.

Survivors of previous journeys have described harrowing conditions, including being crammed into unseaworthy boats without life jackets or basic supplies. In some cases, smugglers have thrown people overboard mid-journey to evade capture by coastguards.

The United Nations is calling for urgent international cooperation to make migration routes safer, crack down on smuggling networks, and address the root causes driving people to flee. These include conflict, food insecurity, economic collapse, and climate change-related displacement in East Africa.

"This is not just a humanitarian emergency—it is a moral one," said the IOM in a statement. "We must act collectively to prevent more lives from being lost to the sea."

As recovery efforts continue off the coast of Yemen, the fate of the dozens still missing remains uncertain, leaving families across the region gripped by grief and fear. Human rights groups are urging governments to prioritise legal migration pathways and uphold the dignity and rights of migrants worldwide.