Yemen Boat Capsizing: 54 Ethiopian Migrants Dead

54 people died: Fifty-four people died in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen. All the deceased are reported to be Ethiopian citizens. The boat carrying 154 Ethiopian citizens was heading towards Gulf countries in search of a better life.

54 Dead: A boat capsized in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Abyan Governorate, Yemen, resulting in the deaths of 54 people, with over 80 others missing. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated that the boat carried 154 Ethiopian nationals seeking better lives in Gulf countries.

54 Bodies Recovered

The IOM reported that 54 bodies were recovered off the coast of Yemen's Khanfar district. IOM Yemen official Abdusattor Asoev stated that only 12 people survived. Asoev added that a large-scale rescue operation was launched in the Gulf of Aden following the incident. Local authorities and rescue teams are continuously engaged in search operations.

The IOM official noted that despite Yemen itself enduring a decade-long civil war, it remains a transit point for African migrants heading towards Gulf countries. They explained that Yemen serves as a key hub for reaching other Gulf nations. African migrants often undertake perilous sea journeys in overcrowded boats arranged by human traffickers. They cited a similar incident in March 2025, where four boats sank between Yemen and Djibouti, leaving 186 people missing.

15 Deaths in Libya Last Week

Earlier, on Friday, 25 July, a migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast, resulting in the deaths of 15 Egyptian nationals. Libyan authorities, citing Marwan Al-Shaeri, media spokesperson for the General Administration of the Coast Guard in Tobruk, stated that the boat was heading towards Europe and carried numerous passengers. The boat capsized at approximately 2 am near the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk. Al-Shaeri confirmed that all those killed were Egyptian citizens. A similar incident occurred in June, where a migrant boat carrying 32 people capsized near the Libyan coast due to engine failure, resulting in one death and 22 missing persons.