Sanaa: A vessel carrying African migrants sank off the coast of Yemen, killing dozens, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday. Sixty-eight of some 154 migrants on board the boat died when it sank early on Sunday, with 74 still missing.

According to Deutsche Welle, despite a decade of civil war, Yemen remains a popular transit country for migrants seeking access to wealthy Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia for a better life. The journey through Yemen is fraught with danger due to the ongoing conflict between the Iran-linked Houthis and the UN-recognized government. The perilous conditions have been documented, including reports from Human Rights Watch highlighting incidents where the Houthis killed and expelled Ethiopian migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ethiopia faces significant challenges, including a high level of poverty and the aftermath of a conflict involving the Tigray region. Drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, and resulting food insecurity are additional factors driving migrants from the Horn of Africa, which includes Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and the breakaway region of Somaliland, towards the rich Gulf Arab states or Europe.

An IOM report published in March indicated that 60,000 migrants were expected to come to Yemen in 2024. The organization describes the route from the Horn of Africa to Yemen as "one of the world's busiest and most perilous mixed migration routes." The large Ethiopian community in Saudi Arabia and significant diaspora populations in the UAE and Bahrain highlight the enduring appeal of these destinations for migrants seeking improved prospects.