68 Migrants D€ad, 74 M!ssing After Trag!c Boat Caps!ze Off Yemen

68 Migrants Dead, 74 Missing After Tragic Boat Capsize Off Yemen

At least 68 African migrants have died, and 74 others are still missing, after a smuggling boat carrying 154 Ethiopian nationals capsized off the coast of Yemen’s Abyan province in the early hours of Sunday, August 3, 2025.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), only 12 survivors have been rescued as of Sunday night. The ill-fated vessel reportedly sank due to strong winds and rough seas while en route across the Gulf of Aden, a notorious migration corridor between the Horn of Africa and Yemen.

Local officials reported that 54 bodies were recovered from the beaches of Khanfar district, while 14 additional bodies were brought to a hospital morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital.

“This is yet another devastating reminder of the risks faced by migrants on this route,” said an IOM spokesperson, noting that rescue efforts are ongoing amid difficult sea conditions.

This is not the first such tragedy along the route. In March 2025, multiple shipwrecks claimed over 180 lives. Despite Yemen’s ongoing civil war, it remains a major transit point for migrants heading to Gulf countries in search of work.

The IOM and local authorities are calling for urgent international support to assist with rescue operations and address the growing humanitarian crisis.