At least 76 people have been killed and dozens are missing after a boat carrying mostly Ethiopian migrants sank off the coast of Yemen, in the latest tragedy along the perilous Red Sea route, APA reports citing Arab News.
Rescue efforts underway, dozens still missing
Yemeni security officials said that 76 bodies had been recovered and 32 people rescued from the shipwreck in the Gulf of Aden. According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), a total of 157 people were on board at the time of the incident.
Tragedy struck off Yemen’s Abyan coast
The accident occurred off Abyan governorate in southern Yemen, a frequent landing point for smugglers’ boats carrying African migrants toward Gulf states. Some survivors were transferred to hospitals in the city of Aden.
IOM: “The fate of the missing is still unknown”
Earlier, the IOM reported a preliminary death toll of at least 68. The organization’s chief in Yemen, Abdusattor Esoev, confirmed that efforts were ongoing to account for the missing passengers.
Yemen remains a deadly migration route
Despite years of civil war, Yemen continues to serve as a major transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa, especially Ethiopians fleeing conflict and poverty. Their goal is often to reach Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
Hundreds die yearly on the Eastern Route
IOM data shows that at least 558 migrants died on the Red Sea route in 2023, including 462 from boat accidents. Many vessels are overcrowded and unseaworthy, with no safety standards.
Migrants abused even after arrival
Those who survive the journey face further dangers inside Yemen. Many are detained, abused, or exploited. In April, over 60 migrants died in an airstrike on a detention center in Houthi-controlled territory.
Hope for a better life drives the risk
Still, thousands continue risking their lives to reach oil-rich Gulf nations. The promise of work and economic stability keeps the flow of migration steady, despite the well-documented perils of the journey.
