Over 50 African Migrants Drown as Boat Capsizes Off Yemen Coast
At least 54 African migrants, mostly Ethiopians, have died after an overcrowded boat capsized off Yemen’s southern coast, highlighting the deadly risks migrants face on the treacherous Gulf migration route.
- Over 54 migrants drowned after a boat capsized near Yemen's Abyan coast
- Only 10 survivors have been rescued; dozens are still missing
- Yemen remains a dangerous migration route for Africans heading to the Gulf.
A tragic maritime disaster struck Yemen’s southern coast on Sunday, as an overcrowded boat carrying about 150 migrants capsized in rough seas near the Ahwar district in Abyan province, bordering the Arabian Sea.
At least 54 people are confirmed dead, with dozens still missing, while only ten survivors—including nine Ethiopians and one Yemeni—have been rescued so far.
Local health official Abdul Qadir Bajameel confirmed the grim toll, and rescue operations continued into Monday as teams scoured the waters for any remaining survivors.
The ill-fated voyage is another grim reminder of the deadly risks faced by African migrants, particularly from Ethiopia and Eritrea, who use Yemen as a transit point on their way to Gulf countries in search of work.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted that Yemen is a major transit corridor for East African migrants, despite ongoing conflict and insecurity in the region. In 2024 alone, over 60,000 migrants reportedly arrived in Yemen, often lured by the promise of better opportunities—but with little awareness of the perils involved.
The IOM classifies the Horn of Africa–Yemen route as one of the most dangerous migration paths in the world. Sunday’s tragedy has sparked renewed calls for urgent international cooperation to regulate migration flows and offer safer alternatives to those risking everything for a better life.
