More than 50 migrants tragically lost their lives when a boat carrying over 150 people capsized near Yemen's southern province of Abyan due to severe weather conditions. According to local authorities, only 10 individuals were rescued, while many remain unaccounted for. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that most of the deceased are likely Ethiopian nationals, calling this event "heartbreaking."
Yemen is known as a crucial transit point for individuals from the Horn of Africa trying to reach the Gulf states for employment. In recent months, the IOM has highlighted a rise in fatalities linked to shipwrecks along this route. Abdusattor Esoev, IOM Yemen chief, mentioned that more than 54 bodies were found ashore in Khanfar, with others sent to the local morgue in Zinjibar.
The situation has prompted extensive search and rescue operations, with many bodies recovered across a broad stretch of the coastline. The IOM has expressed profound sorrow over the loss of life and stressed the urgent need for better safety measures for migrants who often rely on dangerous smuggling networks. They noted that the journey remains one of the most hazardous migration routes globally.
In March, a similar tragedy occurred when two boats sank off Yemen, leading to numerous casualties. Despite these risks, 2024 has seen over 60,000 migrants arriving in Yemen, as many are willing to undertake the perilous journey despite the associated dangers, which include reckless smugglers pushing boats into hazardous conditions to evade law enforcement. The IOM's Missing Migrants Project has recorded over 3,400 deaths along this route in the past decade, with drowning accounting for approximately 1,400 of those cases.
Yemen is known as a crucial transit point for individuals from the Horn of Africa trying to reach the Gulf states for employment. In recent months, the IOM has highlighted a rise in fatalities linked to shipwrecks along this route. Abdusattor Esoev, IOM Yemen chief, mentioned that more than 54 bodies were found ashore in Khanfar, with others sent to the local morgue in Zinjibar.
The situation has prompted extensive search and rescue operations, with many bodies recovered across a broad stretch of the coastline. The IOM has expressed profound sorrow over the loss of life and stressed the urgent need for better safety measures for migrants who often rely on dangerous smuggling networks. They noted that the journey remains one of the most hazardous migration routes globally.
In March, a similar tragedy occurred when two boats sank off Yemen, leading to numerous casualties. Despite these risks, 2024 has seen over 60,000 migrants arriving in Yemen, as many are willing to undertake the perilous journey despite the associated dangers, which include reckless smugglers pushing boats into hazardous conditions to evade law enforcement. The IOM's Missing Migrants Project has recorded over 3,400 deaths along this route in the past decade, with drowning accounting for approximately 1,400 of those cases.
