At least 68 refugees and migrants died when their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, August 3, with 74 others remaining missing after the vessel carrying 154 people sank in the Gulf of Aden near Abyan province.
Only 12 people survived the shipwreck, according to Abdusattor Esoev, head of the International Organization for Migration in Yemen. The passengers were mostly Ethiopian nationals attempting the dangerous crossing from the Horn of Africa to Yemen.
Search and rescue operations continued into the night as authorities worked to locate additional survivors and recover bodies. The bodies of 54 refugees and migrants washed ashore in the district of Khanfar, while 14 others were found at a different location and transported to a hospital morgue.
Abdul Qader Bajamil, director of the health office in Zanzibar, indicated that authorities were making arrangements to bury the victims near the city of Shaqra while search operations continued under difficult conditions. Esoev noted that “dozens remain unaccounted for” as rescue teams persisted in their efforts.
The incident represents the latest tragedy along what the IOM describes as one of the world’s busiest and most perilous migration routes. The waterways between Yemen and the Horn of Africa serve as a common passage for refugees and migrants traveling in both directions, despite the significant dangers involved.
Migrants typically rely on smugglers who transport them on overcrowded and often dangerous boats across the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden. Most are fleeing conflict in Africa, particularly from Somalia and Ethiopia, seeking refuge in Yemen or attempting to reach the more prosperous Gulf countries for work opportunities.
The numbers of people making the treacherous journey reached 97,200 in 2023, representing a significant increase from previous years. However, arrivals dropped to just over 60,000 in 2024, a decrease the IOM attributes to increased patrols of the waters by authorities.
The route has proven deadly for hundreds of migrants over recent years. According to IOM data, 558 people died along the route in 2024 alone. Over the past decade, at least 2,082 people have disappeared along the route, including 693 confirmed drownings.
Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, stemming from a civil war that began in 2014, has created complex migration patterns in the region. The conflict initially caused a spike in Yemenis fleeing their country, while simultaneously drawing African migrants seeking safety or passage to Gulf nations.
A truce agreement reached in April 2022 between Houthi rebels and government forces has resulted in decreased violence and a slight easing of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Despite these improvements, the country continues to face significant challenges in managing migration flows.
Yemen currently hosts approximately 380,000 refugees and migrants, according to IOM estimates. Many find themselves stranded in the country, facing harsh conditions while attempting to continue their journeys or establish new lives.
The latest tragedy follows a pattern of deadly incidents along migration routes in the region. In March, four boats capsized off Yemen and Djibouti, leaving two dead and 186 missing. Earlier incidents have claimed dozens of lives, highlighting the persistent dangers faced by migrants attempting these crossings.
Health authorities in the affected region are coordinating burial arrangements for the recovered victims while continuing to support the small number of survivors. The search for missing passengers remains ongoing, though hopes of finding additional survivors diminish with each passing hour.
The incident underscores the continued risks faced by migrants and refugees attempting to cross dangerous waterways in search of safety and economic opportunities, despite increased efforts by authorities to patrol these routes and prevent such crossings.
