Tragic Capsizing Claims Lives of 68 Migrants Off Yemen Coast

A tragic maritime incident occurred off the coast of Yemen on March 24, 2024, resulting in the deaths of 68 African migrants and leaving 74 others missing. The boat, which was carrying 154 Ethiopian migrants, capsized in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen’s southern province of Abyan. This incident highlights the ongoing perilous journeys undertaken by migrants seeking better opportunities in the Gulf Arab states.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the bodies of 54 migrants were discovered along the shoreline in the district of Khanfar, while an additional 14 deceased individuals were recovered and transported to a morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital. Only 12 migrants survived the shipwreck, with the remainder presumed dead. Abdusattor Esoev, the head of the IOM in Yemen, provided these details to the Associated Press.

Search and Rescue Efforts Underway

In response to the tragic capsizing, the Abyan security directorate launched a large-scale search-and-rescue operation due to the high number of casualties. Efforts to locate the missing migrants were complicated by the vast area over which the bodies were scattered. This incident is part of a broader pattern of shipwrecks in the region, which have claimed the lives of hundreds of migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Yemen, despite enduring more than a decade of civil war, remains a critical transit point for migrants. Many individuals embark on perilous journeys across the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden, often facilitated by smugglers who overcrowd boats to maximize profit. Tragically, this often leads to devastating outcomes, as seen in recent months.

Rising Casualties Among Migrants

The IOM has reported that hundreds of migrants have died or gone missing in similar incidents off Yemen’s coast. A particularly alarming case occurred in March 2024, when two migrants died and 186 others were reported missing after four boats capsized between Yemen and Djibouti.

While more than 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen in 2024, this number reflects a decline from 97,200 migrants in 2023. The decrease is attributed to increased maritime patrols aimed at curbing the dangerous crossings.

The heartbreaking loss of life in this latest incident underscores the urgent need for solutions to the ongoing migrant crisis in the region. As conditions in their home countries remain dire, many continue to risk everything in search of safety and opportunity in the Gulf states.