A boat carrying around 150 migrants sank off the coast of Yemen’s Ahwar district in southern Abyan province on Sunday. At least 54 people died, with dozens still unaccounted for. The incident occurred during bad weather and involved a flimsy boat crossing the Bab al-Mandab strait from Africa to reach Saudi Arabia.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) describes this route as one of the world’s busiest and most perilous mixed migration routes. Last year, more than 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen, seeking work opportunities in the Gulf countries. A rescue operation recovered nine Ethiopians and one Yemeni, while dozens remain missing.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/least-54-migrants-die-boat-sinks-off-yemen-dozens-missing-2025-08-03