At least 68 African migrants have died and 74 others remain missing after an overcrowded boat carrying illegal migrants capsized off the coast of Yemen, highlighting the extreme dangers of the Eastern Route, a perilous migration corridor connecting the Horn of Africa to the Gulf that is ranked as the fourth deadliest in the world.
- At least 68 African migrants have died and 74 others remain missing following a boat capsizing off Yemen’s coast.
- The vessel, departing from Somalia with 154 Ethiopian migrants, was en route to the Gulf when it overturned.
- This tragedy highlights the risks of irregular migration routes driven by poverty, conflict, and limited opportunities.
Despite more than 2,100 recorded deaths and disappearances along this fourth deadliest route globally, migrants continue to brave the journey, driven by poverty, conflict, and the hope of finding economic opportunity in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The overcrowded vessel, which had departed from Somalia with 154 Ethiopian migrants on board, was en route to one of the Gulf countries when it overturned near Yemen’s Abyan province on Sunday.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) confirmed that only 12 migrants survived the tragedy, while the bodies of 54 victims were recovered along the Khanfar coastline.
Another 14 bodies were found at a different location and transported to a local morgue. Search efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining missing passengers.
World’s deadliest migration route
Despite being ranked as the fourth deadliest migration corridor globally, the Eastern Route connecting the Horn of Africa to Yemen and onward to Gulf nations continues to lure thousands of desperate migrants each year.
According to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 2,116 deaths and disappearances have been recorded along this route between 2014 and September 2024.
The Eastern Route trails behind the Mediterranean (30,354 deaths/missing), the Sahara Desert (6,316), and the Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands (4,828), yet it remains a critical and perilous passageway for migrants seeking better economic opportunities in the Gulf.
Deadly migration routes fail to deter illegal migrants
According to the IOM, more than 30,000 people have died or gone missing between 2014 and September 2024 along the Western, Central, and Eastern Mediterranean migration routes.
Despite these alarming numbers, Africa’s illegal migration corridors, especially the Eastern Route through Yemen to the Gulf, remain active, with a steady flow of desperate migrants risking their lives in search of better opportunities.
Driven by poverty, conflict, and limited prospects at home, thousands continue to embark on perilous sea crossings aboard overcrowded boats, hoping to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.
Economic hardship, fraudulent recruitment schemes, and the lure of quick escape push many towards these treacherous paths, often controlled by human traffickers who exploit migrants’ vulnerabilities.
Unfortunately, these journeys frequently end in tragedy, with fatalities and missing persons reported with disturbing regularity.
The latest deadly shipwreck off Yemen’s coast further reveals the growing dangers associated with irregular migration through the Eastern Route.
Migration experts caution that as long as root causes such as poverty, insecurity, and lack of economic opportunities persist, many will continue to take life-threatening risks.
The IOM and other humanitarian agencies are calling for urgent regional collaboration to address these drivers and to implement comprehensive measures that protect migrants’ lives throughout their journey.
