Chisom Umejiaku
At least 76 African migrants have drowned, and many others remain missing after an overcrowded boat sank off the coast of Yemen’s Abyan governorate, in what has become one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the region this year.
The ill-fated vessel, which was carrying 154 people, mostly Ethiopians, capsized in the early hours of Sunday, August 3, 2025, while navigating the Gulf of Aden towards Yemen’s shoreline. According to officials from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), only 12 survivors have been confirmed so far, as search and rescue efforts continue.
Local rescue teams, along with fishermen, recovered dozens of bodies from the waters near Khanfar district, while several others were taken to a morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital. Authorities have described the incident as a stark reminder of the perils faced by migrants attempting the treacherous sea journey from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.
The IOM, in a statement, warned that the Eastern Migration Route, which sees thousands of Ethiopians and Somalis cross the Bab al-Mandab Strait into Yemen, remains one of the world’s deadliest paths for irregular migration. Despite Yemen’s ongoing civil war and worsening humanitarian crisis, more than 60,000 migrants crossed into the country in 2024, many seeking to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
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Preliminary reports suggest that the boat was dangerously overcrowded and unseaworthy, with survivors recounting that smugglers forced them aboard under threat. The IOM noted that at least 558 migrants lost their lives on this route in 2024 alone, mostly from shipwrecks and abuse by traffickers.
Yemeni officials have launched an investigation into the incident, as emergency crews continue to search for bodies and possible survivors along the coastline. Aid organizations have renewed calls for stronger regional action against human trafficking networks exploiting vulnerable migrants.
No official comment has been made by Ethiopian authorities regarding the tragedy as of press time.