Yemen: A boat carrying around 157 migrants has capsized off the southern coast of Yemen’s Abyan province, leaving at least 68 people dead and many more missing, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The IOM’s Yemen Chief, Abdusattor Esoev, conveyed that, only 12 survivors had been found so far, and the death toll is expected to rise as search-and-rescue operations continue along a vast stretch of coastline. Most of the deceased are believed to be Ethiopian nationals.
Security officials in Abyan confirmed that a large-scale search mission had recovered bodies scattered across a wide area, as rough seas and strong currents hampered rescue efforts.
The vessel was reportedly en route along one of the most dangerous and frequently used migration routes in the world, from the Horn of Africa to Yemen used by thousands of migrants seeking work in Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia.
Esoev remarked that, “This is a deadly route, often exploited by smugglers. It is critical to enhance regular migration pathways so people are not forced into the hands of those who deceive and endanger them.”
The IOM estimates that over 60,000 migrants have arrived in Yemen this year alone, despite the country’s ongoing civil conflict and the treacherous maritime conditions. The organization warns that people-smugglers are becoming increasingly reckless, sometimes knowingly launching boats during dangerous weather to evade patrols.
The incident follows a similar tragedy in March, when two boats carrying over 180 migrants sank off Yemen’s Dhubab district, with only two crew members surviving. According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 3,400 deaths and disappearances have been recorded along this migration corridor in the past decade, with 1,400 attributed to drowning.
Yemen, a country already ravaged by over a decade of civil war, remains a key transit point for migrants from Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, despite the immense risks involved in crossing its shores.
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