Death Toll Rises in Yemen Migrant Boat Tragedy

A boat carrying about 150 migrants, mostly Ethiopian nationals, capsized off Yemen's Abyan province, resulting in at least 68 confirmed deaths and 74 missing, according to the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration. Only 12 survivors have been located as search-and-rescue operations continue along the coastline. The tragedy is one of several recent deadly shipwrecks involving African migrants seeking passage to Gulf countries via perilous routes operated by smugglers. Yemen remains a major migration corridor despite ongoing civil conflict, with thousands risking the journey each year. Recent months have seen hundreds of deaths or disappearances in similar incidents. Migrant arrivals in Yemen have decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year, likely due to increased maritime patrols.