By Rachel Akper

2025 has been recorded as the deadliest year for migrants crossing the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, with at least 922 people reported dead or missing, according to the United Nations.

The figure nearly doubles the number recorded in 2024 and marks the highest death toll since monitoring began on this perilous migration route.

Tens of thousands of migrants, mostly from Ethiopia and Somalia, attempt the dangerous journey each year from the Horn of Africa toward the Arabian Peninsula, often departing from Djibouti or Somalia and aiming to reach Yemen in search of work or better living conditions.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted that many boats used on this route are overcrowded and unseaworthy, leaving them highly vulnerable to capsizes and extreme sea conditions.

In 2025 alone, at least three major shipwrecks reportedly claimed over 180 lives each.

The record death toll highlights the growing humanitarian challenges in the region, as conflicts, poverty, and limited legal migration pathways continue to push people into life-threatening journeys.

Yemen, the primary destination for migrants on this route, remains embroiled in civil war, offering little safety for those who survive the crossing.

The IOM and other international agencies continue to call for improved search-and-rescue operations and safer, legal migration channels to prevent further loss of life on the Red Sea route.