A shipwreck off Yemen’s southern coast has killed at least 76 people, with dozens still missing. Most of those on board were Ethiopian migrants fleeing poverty and conflict in search of work in wealthy Gulf countries.
Yemeni security officials said 76 bodies had been recovered so far and 32 survivors rescued from the wreck in the Gulf of Aden.
According to the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the vessel was carrying 157 people when it sank.
The disaster took place near the coast of Abyan governorate – an area often used by smugglers moving migrants from East Africa to Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Yemeni officials said some of the survivors had been taken to the port city of Aden for medical care and support.
Earlier figures from the IOM reported 68 deaths, but the toll has since risen.
“The fate of the missing is still unknown,” said Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Yemen.
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Yemen remains hub for migrants
Despite being in the middle of a civil war since 2014, Yemen remains a key transit route for migrants, especially from Ethiopia.
Many take what’s known as the “Eastern Route” – crossing from Djibouti over the Red Sea and into Yemen, hoping to reach wealthier countries.
The IOM said at least 558 people died on this route last year. Of those, 462 were killed in boat accidents.
Last month, at least eight migrants died after smugglers forced them to jump into the sea before reaching the coast.
The IOM and Yemeni authorities confirmed that most of the passengers on the most recent boat were from Ethiopia.
Fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray ends truce as millions need humanitarian aid
Tigray conflict drives displacement
Ethiopia’s brutal civil war in the Tigray region has been a major reason behind the growing number of people leaving the country.
The conflict broke out in 2020 between government forces and fighters from the Tigray People's Liberation Front. It left tens of thousands dead and forced millions from their homes.
Despite a formal peace agreement signed in November 2022, the situation remains fragile, with intermittent violence and a dire lack of access to food, healthcare, and essential services in affected areas.
Many Ethiopians – especially from the Tigray and Oromia regions – have been driven to flee the country in search of safety and stability abroad.
Migration routes through Djibouti and across the Red Sea into Yemen have seen increased traffic as a result – despite the known dangers.
(with AFP)
