A tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Yemen as a boat carrying migrants sank, resulting in at least 49 fatalities and leaving 140 people missing. The U.N.’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) confirmed the devastating news on Tuesday.
Details of the Tragedy
- The ill-fated vessel was transporting approximately 260 Somalis and Ethiopians from the northern coast of Somalia.
- Their perilous 320-kilometre (200-mile) journey across the treacherous Gulf of Aden ended tragically when the boat sank near Yemen’s southern coast.
- Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with 71 survivors accounted for so far.
- Heartbreakingly, among the deceased are 31 women and six children.
Yemen’s Role as a Migration Route
Despite Yemen’s nearly decade-long civil war, it remains a significant route for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa. The IOM reported a staggering increase in arrivals from 2021 to 2023, with numbers soaring from approximately 27,000 to over 90,000 annually. Currently, an estimated 380,000 migrants find themselves in Yemen, seeking better opportunities in Gulf countries.
