Tragedy strikes as 68 migrants drown off Yemen's coast

On a recent Sunday, off the coast of Yemen, a tragic incident occurred involving a boat carrying 154 Ethiopian migrants. The vessel capsized in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in the deaths of at least 68 migrants, with an additional 74 individuals reported as missing. The survivors of this disaster were limited to just 12 people. Reports indicate that the bodies of 54 migrants were discovered washed ashore in the Khanfar district, while another 14 deceased individuals were recovered and taken to a hospital morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan. This devastating incident is part of a persistent pattern of shipwrecks off Yemen, especially affecting migrants fleeing conflict and poverty from East Africa and the Horn of Africa. These individuals embark on perilous journeys in overcrowded boats, primarily in search of better opportunities in the wealthy Gulf Arab countries. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which provided information on the incident, noted the increasing number of deaths and missing persons in recent months. In March, for instance, the agency reported that several boats had capsized, leading to the loss of two lives and 186 individuals remaining unaccounted for. Despite the ongoing civil war in Yemen, the country serves as a crucial transit point for migrants hoping to reach their destination. Smugglers often exploit the desperation of these individuals, putting them aboard inadequate and unsafe vessels for the dangerous crossing. Many have died during such attempts, with hundreds more unaccounted for over the past few months. The Abyan security directorate has described the scale of the crisis, emphasizing the massive search-and-rescue operations conducted in the aftermath of the shipwreck. They reported that bodies were found scattered over a wide area along the coast. In recent years, while the migration numbers have fluctuated, it was noted that over 60,000 migrants had arrived in Yemen in 2024, a decrease from previous years likely due to intensified patrols aimed at curtailing such dangerous crossings. Statistics indicate that 97,200 migrants arrived in the previous year, highlighting a dramatic shift possibly reflecting both the dangers involved and the changing dynamics around migration patterns in the region.