At least 68 African migrants have died and 74 more are missing after a packed vessel capsized off Yemen’s southern coast, the United Nations migration agency confirmed on Sunday.
The boat, carrying 154 Ethiopian nationals, sank in the early hours in the Gulf of Aden, near the coastal province of Abyan. According to Abdusattor Esoev, the head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Yemen, only 12 people are known to have survived the tragedy.
54 bodies were recovered from the shores of Khanfar district, while a further 14 were taken to a hospital morgue in the provincial capital, Zinjibar. Dozens remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead.
Local authorities described a vast and urgent search and rescue effort along the coastline, as bodies were found scattered across a wide area. The Abyan security directorate said the operation was one of the largest in recent memory, reflecting the magnitude of the loss.
Despite being mired in over a decade of civil war, Yemen continues to serve as a major transit route for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa. Many risk their lives aboard overcrowded and unsafe boats in the hope of reaching wealthier Gulf states for work.
IOM reacts to boat accident
The IOM warned that this latest incident is part of a devastating pattern. In March, four boats capsized between Yemen and Djibouti, leaving two confirmed dead and 186 missing. Hundreds have died or disappeared in similar tragedies in recent months.
The UN has called for more coordinated efforts to protect migrants and crack down on trafficking networks that profit from their desperation.
