At least 68 migrants, mostly Ethiopians, died after a boat carrying around 157 people sank in rough seas off Yemen’s southern coast near Abyan.

Only 12 survivors have been found, with many still missing.

The vessel was traveling a dangerous smuggling route commonly used by migrants from the Horn of Africa heading to Gulf states.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has called for stronger legal migration pathways to prevent such tragedies, the BBC has reported.

Despite ongoing risks and Yemen’s ongoing civil war, over 60,000 migrants have arrived in the country in 2024 alone.

Written by B.C. Begley