A migrant boat carrying over 150 people from Ethiopia sank off the coast of Yemen early Sunday, resulting in at least 68 confirmed deaths and dozens more missing, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The tragedy occurred in the Gulf of Aden, near the southern province of Abyan.
In a statement to Agence France-Presse on Monday, Abdusattar Esoev, head of the IOM’s mission in Yemen, confirmed, “So far, 68 people aboard the vessel have lost their lives, but only 12 survivors have been found among the 154 passengers.” The fate of the remaining individuals remains unknown.
The shipwreck took place off the coastal area of Hanfara, where the bodies of 54 victims were recovered onshore. An additional 14 were found deceased and taken to a morgue in Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province.
An earlier report from local security forces had cited at least 27 casualties.
BREAKING: The U.N. says 68 African migrants died and dozens are missing in a shipwreck off of Yemen. https://t.co/HTmzHyRYGk
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 3, 2025
Despite over a decade of civil war, Yemen remains a key transit point for migrants fleeing violence, poverty, and instability in East Africa and the Horn of Africa, hoping to reach wealthier Gulf nations. Smugglers frequently use overcrowded and unsafe vessels to transport people across the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Deadly incidents like this one have become increasingly common. Hundreds have died or gone missing in shipwrecks off Yemen in recent months. In March, the IOM reported that two migrants died and 186 were declared missing after four boats capsized between Yemen and Djibouti.
According to IOM data, over 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen in 2024, down from 97,200 in 2023.
