The Media Line: Death Toll Rises to 68 in Migrant Boat Disaster Off Yemen 

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Death Toll Rises to 68 in Migrant Boat Disaster Off Yemen 

By The Media Line Staff 

The death toll from a migrant boat capsizing off Yemen’s southern coast has climbed to 68, with 74 others still missing, local officials said Sunday. Rough seas continue to hinder search and rescue efforts. 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said only 12 of the 157 people aboard were rescued. “The fate of the missing is still unknown,” IOM country chief Abdusattor Esoev told AFP. Survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, were taken to Shaqra General Hospital for treatment, with some in critical condition from prolonged exposure and exhaustion. 

The boat, carrying Ethiopian migrants bound for Gulf countries, capsized late Saturday near Abyan province amid strong winds and severe weather. Abyan health director Abdul Qader Bajamil said bodies were recovered along multiple stretches of coastline. Authorities have expanded search operations and deployed additional rescue teams. 

Local officials confirmed that all aboard were Ethiopian migrants, part of the steady flow of Africans attempting dangerous sea crossings to Yemen despite its ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis. The United Nations has repeatedly called Yemen one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. 

Health officials are working with local authorities to arrange burials.  Yemeni security officials renewed calls for international action to address the causes of irregular migration and improve maritime safety. 

The IOM and other aid agencies have deployed teams to assist in rescue efforts and support survivors. Maritime authorities warn that continued rough seas could further complicate recovery operations.