Trending 
The United Nations migration agency has reported that 2025 was the deadliest year on the “Eastern Route” linking the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, with 922 migrants recorded dead or missing.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the figure represents a sharp increase, roughly double the toll recorded the previous year.
Speaking on the development, the agency’s head of mission in Djibouti, Tanja Pacifico, said the latest data confirmed an unprecedented rise in fatalities along the route.
“2025 was the deadliest year ever recorded on the Eastern migration route… with 922 people dead or missing — double the number from the previous year,” she said.
She noted that the IOM remains committed to working with the Djiboutian authorities to promote safer and more dignified migration channels in order to prevent further loss of life.
Each year, tens of thousands of migrants, mainly from Ethiopia, Somalia and neighbouring countries, attempt the dangerous journey across the Red Sea, often departing from Djibouti to Yemen in search of better economic opportunities in Gulf nations.
Most of the victims were reported to be Ethiopians, reflecting the pressures of conflict and widespread poverty in the country.
Many migrants who make the crossing become stranded in Yemen, which has been grappling with a prolonged civil war and remains one of the poorest countries in the region, forcing some to abandon their journey and return home.
While Ethiopia’s economy is projected to grow significantly, high inflation and persistent instability continue to drive migration despite improving macroeconomic indicators.
