At least 68 dead after migrant boat sinks off Yemen

A migrant boat carrying 154 Ethiopian nationals capsized off Abyan Province, Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden on the night of August 2, 2025. According to the UN’s migration agency (IOM), 68 lives have been confirmed lost, 74 remain missing, and only 12 survivors were rescued and transported to Shaqra General Hospital. Rescue missions continue amid challenging sea conditions, while local authorities and humanitarian agencies face urgent calls to aid survivors and stem further loss.

• Casualties: 68 confirmed dead; 74 still unaccounted for

• Survivors: Only 12 rescued, many in critical condition

• Passengers: Approximately 154 migrants—all Ethiopians—aboard the smuggling vessel

• Location & Timing: Occurred near Abyan province around 11:00 p.m. local time, amid severe weather 

• Bodies Found: 54 washed ashore at Khanfar; 14 taken to Zinjibar morgue

• Search Operations: Extended along the coast; authorities appeal for aid from NGOs

In the late hours of Saturday, migrants—mostly Ethiopian—boarded a smuggler-operated boat aiming to reach Gulf nations. The vessel capsized at 11:00 p.m. near southern Yemen after being engulfed by strong winds and rough sea conditions. Only a few survived. Recovery teams found bodies scattered across miles of shoreline, prompting urgent rescue and forensic efforts.

The route via Djibouti, Yemen, and into the Gulf is among the deadliest and fastest-growing migrant pathways—particularly for Ethiopians and Somalis fleeing conflict and poverty.

This capsizing is one of several this year, including earlier incidents that left dozens missing or dead—highlighting the habitual risks and weak oversight in smuggling channels.

Yemen’s direness—due to a decade-long civil war and limited governance—complicates migrant rescue and assistance operations. Many are abandoned or mistreated upon arrival. 

• Yemeni authorities and local health teams recovered 68 bodies along the Abyan coastline.

• The 12 survivors were transferred to Shaqra Hospital; several remain under medical care.

• Local hospitals requested international support, including NGOs, to aid in rescue and burials.

The maritime disaster near Yemen’s Abyan shores is a haunting reminder of the lethal intersection of conflict, poverty, and irregular migration. Despite rescue operations and global condemnation, these tragedies endure—highlighting failures in humanitarian protection and international coordination. With hundreds crossing this route annually—many never reaching Gulf destinations—this latest incident demands urgent global attention, not as isolated news but a call to collective action.