Tragic Capsizing: Over 60 Lives Lost in Migrant Boat Incident off Yemen’s Coast

At least 68 migrants lost their lives when a boat carrying around 157 people sank off the coast of Yemen due to bad weather. The incident occurred near Abyan province, as reported by the Yemen chief for the International Organization for Migration (IOM). So far, 12 individuals have been rescued, but many remain unaccounted for.

Most of the victims are thought to be Ethiopian nationals. Yemen has become a primary route for migrants from the Horn of Africa, aiming to reach Gulf states for better work opportunities. Unfortunately, the IOM reveals that hundreds have either died or gone missing in recent months on similar perilous journeys.

Abyan security officials have launched a broad search-and-rescue operation and have found multiple bodies scattered along the shoreline. Abdusattor Esoev, the IOM Yemen chief, highlighted that the boat was operating on a dangerous path often exploited by human smugglers. He stressed the need for stronger legal measures to protect migrants from exploitation.

“What we advocate for is enhancing legal migration pathways,” he said. This way, migrants can travel safely instead of falling prey to smugglers and embarking on hazardous journeys.

The route from the Horn of Africa—which includes Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Eritrea—to Yemen is among the busiest and most dangerous for migrants. In a similar incident in March, two boats with over 180 migrants sank off Yemen’s Dhubab district due to rough seas, with only two crew members being saved.

Reports indicate that human smugglers have become increasingly reckless, knowingly sending boats into treacherous waters to evade patrols. Despite the dangers, more than 60,000 migrants still made the journey to Yemen in just the first part of 2024.

The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has documented over 3,400 fatalities along this route in the past decade, with about 1,400 of those deaths attributed to drowning. Yemen continues to face dire challenges, as it remains embroiled in a devastating civil war that has lasted over ten years. The Iran-backed Houthi group took control of much of northwestern Yemen in 2014 after ousting the internationally recognized government from the capital, Sanaa.

Current circumstances for migrants remain alarming. Many are caught between a war-torn state and the dangerous decisions made by smugglers. Understanding these risks is crucial as the world watches a humanitarian crisis unfold.



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