Over 60 Migrants Dead, Dozens Missing After Boat Capsizes Near Yemen

At least 68 African migrants have died, and 74 others are missing following a boat capsizing off the coast of Yemen on March 24, 2024. This incident, reported by the United Nations’ migration agency, marks yet another tragic event in a series of shipwrecks that have claimed the lives of hundreds of migrants seeking refuge from conflict and poverty in their home countries.

The vessel, carrying 154 Ethiopian migrants, sank in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen’s southern province of Abyan. According to Abdusattor Esoev, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen, the disaster occurred early Sunday morning. Recovery efforts revealed that the bodies of 54 migrants washed ashore in the district of Khanfar, while an additional 14 were found deceased and taken to a hospital morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital. Only 12 individuals survived the wreck, with the remaining migrants presumed dead.

In response to the tragedy, the Abyan security directorate initiated a significant search-and-rescue operation, given the alarming number of deceased and missing migrants. Officials reported that many bodies were scattered across a wide area along the shoreline, complicating recovery efforts.

Yemen, despite enduring over a decade of civil war, remains a crucial transit point for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa, who are attempting to reach the wealthy Gulf Arab nations in search of employment opportunities. Smugglers often transport these vulnerable individuals on overcrowded and perilous vessels across the treacherous waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

This latest incident is part of a worrying trend, as hundreds of migrants have died or gone missing in similar shipwrecks off Yemen in recent months. In March 2024 alone, two migrants died, and 186 others were reported missing after four boats capsized near the coasts of Yemen and Djibouti, according to IOM data.

Despite a decrease in arrivals, with more than 60,000 migrants reaching Yemen in 2024 compared to 97,200 in 2023, the risks associated with migration remain high. The decline in numbers is attributed to increased patrolling of the waters by authorities, which has heightened the dangers faced by those still attempting the perilous journey.

The humanitarian crisis continues to unfold as many migrants risk their lives in hopes of a better future. The international community is urged to acknowledge these tragedies and address the widespread issues of migration, conflict, and poverty that drive individuals to undertake such dangerous journeys.