Seven Ethiopian migrants tragically died from hunger and thirst after their boat broke down while en route from Somalia to Yemen, the IOM reported. In a statement on Wednesday, the United Nations agency said its teams in Yemen have provided “lifesaving assistance” to the voyage’s harrowing survivors.
A boat carrying 250 Ethiopian migrants, which included 82 children, arrived in the Arqah area of southern Yemen following a week-long journey. The International Organization for Migration confirmed in its statement that seven of the desperate migrants died of hunger and thirst during the dangerous voyage.
Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s chief of mission in Yemen, described the perilous week-long journey on the high seas as “a week of hell” for the traumatized survivors. Esoev ominously warned that similar tragedies would likely continue as vulnerable migrants undertake ever-more dangerous journeys on the treacherous Eastern Route.
Since the beginning of 2025, the IOM has tragically recorded more than 350 migrant deaths and disappearances along the extremely perilous Eastern Route. The total number of deaths and disappearances on this route is believed by the IOM to be significantly higher than the recorded figures.
Yemen is a common destination for hundreds of illegal migrants from the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia and Ethiopia, seeking to reach the Gulf countries. These vulnerable people undertake this dangerous and perilous journey from their home countries in hopes of eventually reaching wealthy Gulf countries for better living conditions.