A boat carrying 154 Ethiopian migrants capsized early Sunday off the coast of Yemen’s Abyan province, leaving at least 68 confirmed dead and 74 others missing, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Only 12 survivors were rescued from the wreckage, making this one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the region this year.

The bodies of 54 victims were recovered along the shores of Khanfar district, while 14 others were found and transported to a morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital. Local authorities launched a large-scale search-and-rescue operation, but officials fear the death toll may rise as efforts continue across a wide coastal area.

This tragedy underscores the extreme dangers of the Eastern Route, a migration corridor connecting the Horn of Africa to the Gulf states via Yemen. Despite its reputation as one of the world’s most perilous migration paths, thousands of migrants—primarily from Ethiopia and Somalia—continue to risk the journey each year in search of economic opportunity.

According to the Mixed Migration Centre, migrants on this route face violence, abuse, exploitation, and life-threatening conditions, often traveling aboard overcrowded boats operated by smuggling networks. The route has claimed over 2,100 lives since 2014, with 558 deaths recorded in 2024 alone, making it the deadliest year on record.

In March, four boats capsized between Djibouti and Yemen, leaving 186 migrants missing, further highlighting the scale of the crisis. The IOM reports that over 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen in 2024, a drop from 97,200 in 2023, likely due to increased patrols and deteriorating conditions.

Yemen’s ongoing civil war has worsened the situation, creating a governance vacuum that enables smuggling and trafficking networks to thrive. Migrants are often caught between warring factions, with limited access to protection or humanitarian aid.

The IOM and humanitarian agencies are calling for urgent regional cooperation to address the root causes of irregular migration, including poverty, conflict, and lack of opportunity. They also stress the need for safe migration pathways and stronger search-and-rescue capacity along the Eastern Route.

As families mourn the loss of loved ones, the latest shipwreck serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of migration driven by desperation. The international community faces mounting pressure to respond with coordinated action before more lives are lost.

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