Over 60 Migrants Dead After Boat Capsizes Off Yemen in Deadly Voyage

More than 60 migrants, mostly Ethiopians, died after a boat capsized off Yemen’s coast. The tragedy highlights the dangers of illegal migration routes used to reach Gulf countries. The IOM urged for safer legal pathways and stronger protections, as thousands continue risking their lives to escape hardship.

More than 60 migrants have died after a boat carrying over 150 people sank in rough seas off the coast of southern Yemen, highlighting the perils faced by those seeking better lives through dangerous migration routes.

The vessel went down near the Abyan province on Sunday. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 68 bodies have been recovered so far, with 12 people rescued and dozens still missing. Most of the victims are believed to be Ethiopian nationals.

The migrants were reportedly heading toward Gulf Arab states, with Yemen acting as a common but hazardous transit point for thousands from the Horn of Africa. Many fall prey to people smugglers who exploit their desperation by putting them on overcrowded and unsafe boats, often in poor weather to avoid detection.

IOM Yemen chief Abdusattor Esoev described the tragedy as “heartbreaking,” and urged governments to create more legal migration pathways to reduce reliance on smugglers. He also called for stronger protections to prevent further loss of life in the region.

The Abyan security directorate said a wide-scale search and rescue operation was launched, and bodies were found scattered across a large stretch of the coastline. In recent months, dozens of migrants have died in similar shipwrecks along this same migration corridor.

Despite repeated warnings and previous fatal incidents, the flow of migrants persists. Over 60,000 people have made the journey to Yemen in 2024 alone, often unaware of the extreme risks involved.

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The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has documented more than 3,400 deaths along this route over the past decade — 1,400 from drowning. Authorities fear the toll will continue to climb unless urgent reforms are implemented.