ADEN, Yemen — A boat carrying migrants capsized off Yemen’s southwestern coast on Tuesday, resulting in thirteen deaths and leaving fourteen people missing, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Sunday.
The vessel, which was carrying twenty-five Ethiopians and two Yemenis, overturned near the coast of Yemen’s Taiz governorate. The bodies of eleven men and two women were recovered along the shores of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical sea route for global commodity shipments.
“Search operations are ongoing in hopes of locating those still missing, including the Yemeni captain and his assistant,” an IOM spokesperson said. The cause of the capsizing remains unclear.
This incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting to cross the Gulf of Aden. In July, a similar tragedy occurred when a boat carrying at least forty-five refugees capsized off the Taiz coast, with only four survivors.
The IOM, which maintains a database of migrant deaths and disappearances, reports that since 2014, 2,082 migrants have died or gone missing along the route from East Africa and the Horn of Africa to Gulf countries.
“These recurring tragedies underscore the urgent need for safe, legal migration pathways,” said the IOM’s Chief of Mission in Yemen. “We continue to work with regional governments to address the root causes of irregular migration and to enhance search and rescue capabilities.”
The Bab al-Mandab Strait, where the incident occurred, is a narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Its strategic location makes it a common route for migrants seeking to reach Gulf countries, often fleeing poverty and conflict in their home nations.
Yemen, despite its ongoing civil war and humanitarian crisis, remains a transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa. The country’s instability and limited coast guard resources complicate rescue efforts and migration management.
International aid organizations have called for increased cooperation between countries in the region to prevent such tragedies and to address the underlying factors driving dangerous migration attempts.
As search efforts continue for the fourteen missing individuals, authorities are working to identify the deceased and notify their families. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the perils faced by migrants and the complex challenges of managing migration in conflict-affected regions.
