Boat capsizes off Yemen coast, killing at least 68 migrants

At least 68 African migrants have died and over 70 remain missing after a boat carrying migrants and refugees capsized off the coast of Yemen’s Abyan province, according to international agencies.

The vessel, which was carrying 154 Ethiopian nationals, sank near the Khanfar district, confirmed Abdusattar Esoev, head of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Yemen office, in a statement to the Associated Press.

Twelve survivors were rescued from the waters. Rescue workers recovered 54 bodies that had washed ashore in Khanfar, while an additional 14 bodies were found in nearby areas and transported to local hospitals.

The sea route between the Horn of Africa and Yemen is frequently used by migrants and asylum seekers attempting to reach the Gulf states, despite being one of the world’s most perilous migration paths. Many undertake the journey aboard overcrowded and unsafe vessels.

The civil war in Yemen, which began in 2014, has exacerbated the flow of migrants through the region. Although a ceasefire agreement signed in April 2022 between Houthi rebels and government forces has reduced violence, humanitarian conditions remain fragile.

Migrants from conflict-ridden nations such as Somalia and Ethiopia continue to risk their lives in pursuit of safety or better opportunities, often using Yemen as a transit route. The IOM has described the Red Sea crossing as one of the busiest and most dangerous in the world.

Efforts to locate the missing are ongoing.