At Least 68 Dead, 74 Missing as Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Yemen Coast

Yemen: At least 68 African immigrants are dead and 74 others are missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Yemen in the south. This tragedy took place early Sunday in the Gulf of Aden, in Abyan province. The boat which was carrying 154 Ethiopian immigrants went down as they headed to the Gulf Arab states. These deaths have been confirmed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

The director of the IOM in Yemen, Abdusattor Esoev, stated that 54 bodies were washed up on the shores of the Khanfar district. Another 14 were retrieved and brought to a hospital in Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province. Of the affected, only 12 survived, while the remaining passengers are either missing or believed to be dead.

Local officials have launched an extensive search and rescue operation. The Abyan security directorate stated that bodies were found all over the coast. In addition, they described the whole scene as tragic and chaotic. 

Main route for African migrants seeking better jobs

Yemen remains a main passage for African migrants, with many going out to the rich Gulf states for work. Despite years of civil war, people continue to put their lives at risk to cross the sea in overcrowded and unsafe boats. These trips are often organized by smugglers looking for profits, without any care for safety.

According to IOM reports of 2024, over 60,000 migrants entered Yemen. This is a drop in numbers as compared to 97,200 in 2023, which might be due to increased patrol activity. Over the past few months, hundreds of people have reportedly lost their lives in these shipwrecks.

Four ships were lost in March 2024, when they sank off the coasts of Yemen and Djibouti . It was reported that during this incident, two individuals were found dead and another 186 missing.