2024 Yemen migrant boat disaster

The Eastern migration route – from the Horn of Africa, crossing over the Gulf of Aden through Yemen and on to richer Gulf States such as Saudi Arabia – is a dangerous route for migrants to take. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 558 deaths on this route in 2024 alone, of which most (462) occurred through drowning.^[1]

One example of this occurred on June 10 2024, when 49 migrants drowned when the boat carrying them across the Gulf of Aden sunk. The boat was carrying around 260 Somalis and Ethiopians, of which 90 women. It capsized around 3.30am with 49 deaths immediately confirmed and many more missing.^[2]

Local fishermen were the first to rush to help, followed by local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the IOM. It had numerous health consequences for the victims and impacted local health services.

The Republic of Yemen is a country in the Middle East characterized by political instability and civil war, which has been raging since 2014.^[3] However, despite this instability and ongoing turmoil, Yemen remains a valuable transit route for many people migrating illegally to the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.^[4] These people, mostly men, but also women, and children, generally come from countries in the Horn of Africa, specifically, nationals from Somalia and Ethiopia.^[5][6] They are assisted by smugglers who take them across the Gulf of Aden with life-threatening transfers.^[4] Another route links Djibouti and Yemen.^[5]

The year 2024 was marked by several maritime disasters involving migrants coming from the Horn of Africa and leaving for Yemen.^[6] Among these, there is the shipwreck of June 10, 2024, which occurred in the province of Shabwah, not far from Alghareef Point.^[7] This shipwreck involved a boat that departed from Bossaso in Somalia on Sunday, June 9, 2024. It occurred at 3.30 a.m.^[7] The statistics of the IOM state that there were a total of 260 migrants on this ship, including 145 people of Ethiopian nationality and 115 of Somali nationality.^[7] They were 90 women on board.^[7] After the ship sunk near the Yemeni coast, at least 49 migrant deaths were counted, including 31 women and 6 children.^[7][2] 140 were reported missing.^[7][2]

When the boat reached the coast of Shabwah (approx. 3.7km or 2.3 miles), strong winds caused the boat to take on water and slant to one side.^[8] After traveling for approximately 24 hours, the smugglers forced the migrants to jump off the boat and into the water.^[8] A fisherman who witnessed this contacted the IOM who responded immediately, accompanied by the local coast guard and local fisherman.^[8]

After this event of June 10, 2024, three months later, another shipwreck occurred on August 20, 2024.^[9] The ship had 25 migrants from Ethiopia and 2 Yemeni nationals.^[9] It sunk near the coast of the Ta'iz governorate of the Dubab district, which is a sub-district of Bani Al-Hakam.^[9] There were 13 dead, including 11 men and 2 women.^[9] 14 migrants were reported missing.^[9]

There are several reasons behind these disasters.^[10] These reasons are political, economic, social, and even environmental.^[10][11] In general, there is political instability, insecurity caused by ongoing conflicts, difficult living conditions, extreme poverty, and growing unemployment.^[10][11] In Somalia, for example, there is an ongoing civil war, resulting in chronic instability.^[10] In addition, there are environmental challenges in the form of devastating floods and droughts.^[10] In Ethiopia, a destructive drought and tribal wars, especially in the Tigray region, are considerably impacting the population.^[10] All of these root causes are driving Ethiopians and Somalis to flee their countries in search of a better life and better job opportunities elsewhere.^[10][11]

In addition to the loss of at least 49 lives, the marine pollution impact from this disaster arose from boat wreckage, scattered debris and spilling of pollutants into oceanic waters.^[12] The sunken vessel's leaking fuel and debris therefore had the physical impact of polluting seawater, potentially harming marine life (e.g., coral reefs).^[13] Recovering human bodies along this vast shoreline imposed an economic cost, while recurring migrant boat disasters in the Gulf of Aden establish cumulative environmental risks, further compounded by the ongoing Houthi anti-shipping campaigns.^[14] Repeated small-scale oil spills, debris, vessel wreckage degrade marine ecosystems and exacerbate challenges faced by Yemen's conflict-weakened communities with minimal environmental hazard response capacity.^[15]

Strong currents and seasonal rough seas make the route from Somalia or Djibouti to Yemen hazardous. The challenging terrain and infrastructure gaps amplified this disaster's impact.^[16] Years of conflict had left Yemen with extremely limited capacity for maritime domain awareness and rescue.^[17] The IOM directly cited lack of operational patrol boats and other incident response resources as constraints to post-incident search and rescue efforts.^[18] Reliance on local fisherman for post-disaster search and rescue is indicative of lack of formal rescue services and capabilities.^[19]

This disaster overwhelmed Yemen's southern coast health infrastructure, with small health posts treating dozens of survivors and at least eight admitted to hospital for treatment and care.^[20] Yemen's ongoing humanitarian emergency had already weakened local medical facilities, and this sudden spike in caseloads further strained already minimal healthcare facilities. This incident therefore amplified the negative externalities of fragile health systems in conflict-affected zones, reflecting a negative relationship between displacement and migrant health security guarantees from states.^[21] Beyond health systems strain, the disaster geography influenced how the fatalities were managed.

This site's remoteness and sparse infrastructure hindered effective body recovery, emergency management and disaster response. Reports show bodies drifting ashore in similar incidents posed public health and logistical challenges.^[22] In this disaster, local villagers and fishermen both assisted search and rescue and had to undertake urgent burials due to inadequate morgue capacity.^[23] From a health security perspective, limited state capacity exacerbated body management bottlenecks.

There were no reports of landing migrants displacing Yemeni communities in this disaster. However, the migrants involved in this disaster were part of a broader displacement dynamic with socio-economic and political dimensions, environmental and climate change causes.^[24] The eastern route from the Horn of Africa represents a continuum of displacement - individuals displaced from native African countries face danger en route. Despite Yemen's ongoing civil war with its cascading humanitarian implications for the region, it remains a major transit route for migrants seeking passage to wealthier Gulf states with this disaster highlighting health insecurity from the structural vulnerabilities of regional irregular migration routes.

Local fishermen were the first to raise the alarm after spotting bodies floating in the sea and bringing them ashore.^[25] Working with residents from nearby coastal communities, they provided immediate humanitarian support to the 78 migrants they helped rescue from the water, demonstrating solidarity and community resilience despite the severe hardships faced by Yemenis themselves as a result of more than a decade of civil-war.^[26] Local NGOs and volunteer groups then joined the fishermen in the search for the missing migrants. These community-led efforts involved informal search and rescue operations, transporting survivors to where they could be helped and recovering the bodies of those who had drowned, bringing them to the local cemeteries to be buried.^[27]

According to the IOM, the victims were among an estimated 60,000 migrants from the Horn of Africa to have entered Yemen through the Gulf of Aden in 2024.^[28] With approximately 4.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs) already in Yemen as a result of the ongoing civil conflict, however, the government’s ability to provide support in a structured and coordinated manner is limited.[1] Migrants who reach the shore safely face additional dangers once on land, including from kidnappers and other mercenaries as they make their way through to richer countries like Saudi Arabia. Because of this, UN and other international agencies are actively supporting the migrants that arrive in Yemen.

In the tragedy that took place on June 10, 2024, for example, it was the IOM who led the international response by dispatching resources, mobile medical units and mental health professionals to the scene of the disaster.^[29] Other international organisations such as the UNHCR also spoke out at the time, underlining the repeated nature of this kind of tragedy and calling it the deadliest boat disaster of the year.^[30] Another UN agency, UNOCHA, pointed to the extreme weather conditions and unstable situation in some parts of Ethiopia and Somalia that presumably lead the migrants to attempt the crossing despite its risks.^[31]

However, most information about the incident (including from international and local media) draws heavily on information provided by the IOM. Some authors have questioned the predominantly negative framing of migration in such narratives. They argue that cross-border movement can also generate economic and social benefits for both countries of origin and destination. According to these authors, focusing primarily on smugglers may obscure structural issues such as the responsibility of home countries to provide political stability and economic opportunities, as well as the responsibility of host or transit countries to guarantee protection, rights, and safe passage for migrants on their territory. ^[32]

In 2025, in response to this and to other similar tragedies, an additional 1 million euros was pledged by the European Union to protect and support asylum seekers in Yemen.^[33]

Migrants traveling in close courters on boats, are at an increased risk of various health risks that include, being infected with infectious diseases (communicable), tropical diseases, physical injury and even death.^[34]  Migrants face dehydration, starvation, as well as human rights abuses, violence and exploitation by smugglers and human traffickers.^[35] Adding to the deleterious health effects for these individuals are negative mental health effects as a survivor of such a disaster and the uncertainty of the future they face.

Directly after the boat capsized the IOM assisted the 71-78 survivors (reports on the number of survivors differ), including the 6 children.^[7][36][26] Two mobile clinics with medical teams provided first aid and minor physical trauma treatment to 63 of them, while 8 individuals were referred for treatment to a Shabwah hospital and discharged from hospital a couple of days later.^[7][36] As many of the survivors were in shock a psychologist working with the IOM medical mobile team provided further immediate mental health counselling and support to 38 of the survivors.^[7]

The local community and fisherman played a significant part not only in the search and rescue but with the burial of between 49 deceased individuals (12 men, 31 women, 6 children).^[7] Later accounts confirmed 56 deceased.^[36]

In the long-term IOM Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme provides support and services which includes health care and food distribution along key migrant routes, for those who reach Yemen.^[37]

On migrant boats the risks of contamination with and spread of infectious and tropical diseases are further exacerbated due to lack of clean water, proper sanitation and poor hygiene.^[34] These risks are not only confined in the short term to the migrant travellers, but also extend to citizens of the country they are fleeing to with long-term consequences. As is the case with the nationwide outbreak of cholera and acute watery diarrhoea in Yemen in the beginning of 2024 with suspected cases found among migrants at IOM health clinics.^[38]

Data on the long-term mental health relating to migrants fleeing to Yemen is scarce. However a traumatic event such as these individuals experienced, the fear of physical injury or death, witnessing the death of other people and of loved ones, as well as the possibility of undergoing further physical violence, are risk factors for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health disorders.^[39][40] These deleterious mental health effects also extend to healthcare workers who provide aid.^[41] Children and adolescents exposed to violence and traumatic events are at increased risk of PTSD and have poorer mental health in adulthood.^[42] Some migrants who survive the journey and stranded in Yemen are exposed to hunger, poverty, homelessness, sexual violence and abuse in torture camps by human traffickers.^[39]

The Mixed Migration Center and the IOM expressed concern regarding the reoccurring nature of these kinds of incidents.^[43][44] Ayla Bonfiglio, head of the Mixed Migration Center in Eastern and Southern Africa, stated that the lack of legal opportunities for migration has led to reliance on 'smugglers and human trafficking networks' that ultimately add more risks to the journey.^[43][45] The IOM has echoed similar sentiments and pushed for larger migratory routes that would be more closely surveyed by rescue teams. The IOM has encouraged that rescue teams return victims to their home country.^[44] Other similar tragedies sparked calls to better integrate migration policies.^[46] This included focus on sustainable development in low and middle-income countries as well as efforts to halt all human trafficking networks.^[47]

Many of those fleeing Ethiopia have been given refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)^[48]and the UN has repeatedly urged European countries to collaborate on providing refugees equitable long-term care.^[46][49]Within the Horn of Africa, the International Rescue Committee has been working in Ethiopia since the year 2000^[50] and Somalia since 1981.^[51] Those seeking asylum must undergo refugee status determination (RSD) which takes into account criteria such as personal circumstances and country of origin information.^[52] Any person who migrates for reasons other than a fear of being persecuted or facing violence from their country of origin will not be permitted refugee status.^[53] For this reason, many are calling for a holistic approach that can bring support to those who are struggling economically or not receiving healthcare.

Funding for healthcare interventions, sustainable development, and refugee resettlement has been significantly cut by the Trump Administration starting in January 2025.^[54][55][56] This was echoed by similar cuts in Germany, the United Kingdom and France, having previously made up a majority of the total funding towards official development in sub-Saharan Africa.^[57] The United States also withdrew from the World Health Organization on January 20, 2025, having previously been responsible for one fifth of funding, and made cuts to the World Food Programme and UNHCR.^{[58][56][54][59]} Progress in combatting the major challenges present in Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti has stagnated as of October of 2025 as a result of these cuts.^[60] The IOM reported that migration from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula increased by 34% from January to June of 2025 and attributes this increase to worsened economic and health related concerns for countries in the region.^[61][62]

There currently exists much controversy surrounding the government’s responsibility to crises like the one in sub-Saharan Africa. Political leaders around the globe agree that funds and development are necessary to improve the livelihood of those from Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea, with recent events as evidence; however, strategies and their implementation remain a point of contention.^{[63][64][65][66][67]}