More than 50 migrants have died after a boat carrying approximately 150 people capsized in rough seas off Yemen’s southern coast, officials confirmed late on August 3 as reported by the BBC.

The vessel overturned near the province of Abyan, with just 10 individuals rescued so far and dozens still missing, according to local authorities. Most of the victims are believed to be Ethiopian nationals, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said, calling the incident “heartbreaking”.

Yemen remains a key transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa attempting to reach wealthy Gulf nations in search of work. But the route is fraught with danger. The IOM has warned of a sharp rise in deaths and disappearances along this corridor in recent months.

Abdusattor Esoev, the IOM’s chief of mission in Yemen, told the Associated Press that 54 bodies had been recovered along the shores of Khanfar district, while another 14 were taken to a hospital in the provincial capital, Zinjibar.

In a statement, the Abyan security directorate said a large-scale search and rescue operation was under way, with bodies found scattered across a broad stretch of coastline.

The IOM described the tragedy as a “devastating loss of life” and urged greater protections for those attempting the journey.

The IOM has previously identified the maritime route between the Horn of Africa and Yemen as one of the world’s busiest but also most dangerous for mixed migration. Many of those making the crossing are young Ethiopians and Somalis hoping to reach countries such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in search of work or as a stepping stone on the way to Europe.

In March, two boats carrying over 180 migrants sank in similar conditions off Yemen’s Dhubab district. Only two crew members survived. The rest were reported missing and are presumed dead.

Migrants arriving at IOM’s response centres in Yemen have reported increasingly reckless behaviour by smugglers, including deliberate launches into unsafe waters to avoid detection by coastal patrols.

Despite the dangers, thousands continue to risk the journey. The IOM estimates that over 60,000 migrants reached Yemen in 2024 alone.

Over the past ten years, the organisation’s Missing Migrants Project has recorded more than 3,400 deaths or disappearances along this migration route - with drowning accounting for at least 1,400 of those cases.

The latest disaster highlights the urgent need for international action to address the growing humanitarian crisis and to hold human traffickers accountable, the IOM said.