A devastating tragedy unfolded late Thursday as four boats carrying migrants sank off the coasts of Djibouti and Yemen, leaving at least two confirmed dead and over 180 others missing, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The vessels, believed to be carrying migrants predominantly from Ethiopia, were part of a dangerous route increasingly used by people seeking work in Gulf countries or attempting to escape conflict in their home country.
IOM officials reported that two boats, one with approximately 30 people onboard and the other with around 150, sank off the coast of Yemen. Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Yemen, confirmed that the majority of the passengers on these boats were Ethiopian migrants, with five believed to be Yemeni crew members. Tragically, at least 57 of the passengers on these boats were women.
“We are talking about 186 people that may have unfortunately perished in the sea,” Esoev told AFP, expressing his fears that no survivors would be found.
The Eastern Route: One of the World’s Most Dangerous Migrant Routes
The boats sank along a route increasingly used by Ethiopian migrants trying to reach the Gulf countries, despite the perilous conditions of the journey. According to the IOM, this route is one of the most hazardous for migrants, with the organisation documenting over 60,000 migrant arrivals in Yemen in 2024 alone.
IOM’s report revealed a 13% rise in migration along the “eastern route” in 2024, bringing the total number of migrants attempting the route to 446,194. Of these, women and girls represented about a third of those making the perilous journey, a marked increase from 2023. Economic hardship and conflict, particularly in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, continue to drive people to take this dangerous route in search of better opportunities.
A Surge in Migrant Tragedies
The boats that sank off Yemen and Djibouti are not isolated incidents. The IOM highlighted the increasing number of migrant tragedies in the region, attributing many of the sinkings to the use of unseaworthy boats, overcrowding, and dangerous maritime conditions. In 2024 alone, the IOM reported six major shipwrecks.
One of the most recent tragedies occurred last month when 20 Ethiopians were killed after their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen. The IOM has warned that migrant smugglers often force migrants to disembark in the middle of the sea, leading to further loss of life.
Efforts to Assist Survivors
While the majority of migrants aboard the two boats off Yemen remain unaccounted for, the IOM has been working with local authorities in Djibouti and Yemen to find survivors. Fortunately, some migrants aboard the two vessels that sank off Djibouti were rescued, though the exact number of survivors remains unclear.
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One or two individuals are believed to have lost their lives in the sinking off Djibouti, but most of the migrants on those boats were saved. The IOM’s teams in Djibouti are currently assisting the survivors.
Continued Migration Despite Risks
Despite the growing dangers of the route, migration from Ethiopia and Djibouti to Yemen continues to rise. IOM officials noted that many of the migrants embarking on the perilous journey come from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, which endured a brutal civil war between 2020 and 2022. The ongoing instability in the region continues to push many people to seek safety and economic opportunities elsewhere.
IOM’s Abdusattor Esoev also expressed his concern that the number of migrants embarking on this route is unlikely to decrease anytime soon. “The number of people arriving in Yemen from Ethiopia and Djibouti is unfortunately not decreasing,” he said, underscoring the enduring pull of the Gulf countries and the persistent challenges facing migrants in the region.
A Call for Greater Support and Action
The ongoing migrant crisis in the region highlights the urgent need for better migration policies, greater support for displaced populations, and stronger measures to prevent such tragedies. The IOM has repeatedly called for a coordinated response to the dangers migrants face, including improved safety standards for boats and better support for those fleeing conflict and poverty.
As the situation continues to unfold, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the root causes of migration, such as conflict, economic disparity, and human rights abuses, while also ensuring the protection of vulnerable migrants along dangerous routes like the eastern passage through Yemen and Djibouti.
