Over 50 Refugees and Migrants Confirmed Dead in Boat Sinking Near Yemeni Coast
At least 54 African refugees and migrants have lost their lives, with dozens more reported missing, following a tragic boat capsizing incident off the coast of Yemen. This information comes from health authorities in Abyan Governorate, located in the southern part of the country.
Abdul Qader Bajamil, the director of the health office in the area, indicated that as of Sunday, recovery teams had successfully retrieved 54 bodies from local beaches and neighboring regions. Additionally, 12 survivors were promptly taken to Shaqra Hospital for medical attention. The ill-fated vessel, carrying approximately 150 individuals predominantly from Ethiopia, capsized in the Arabian Sea near Shaqra on Saturday evening, attributed to severe weather conditions in the region.
In a display of compassion and urgency, local authorities have begun making arrangements for the burial of the deceased in a designated area near the city, while coordinated search operations continue despite challenging conditions. The perilous waterways connecting Yemen and the Horn of Africa remain a critical passage for refugees and migrants seeking safety and better opportunities. This route has seen an influx of Yemenis since the onset of the civil war in 2014, further highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Positive developments are noted in Yemen, where a truce agreement reached in April 2022 between Houthi rebels and government forces has led to a reduction in violence. This temporarily eased the humanitarian challenges faced by many. Despite this progress, individuals fleeing conflict in African countries, especially Somalia and Ethiopia, are still often drawn to Yemen, hoping to eventually reach more prosperous Gulf nations.
The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) characterizes this route as one of the busiest and most treacherous migration pathways globally. Smugglers typically transport migrants on overcrowded and unsafe boats across the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden. Recent data from the IOM reveals that over 60,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Yemen in 2024 alone, marking a reduction from 97,200 in the previous year. This decline is attributed to intensified patrols of maritime boundaries, as reported by IOM in May.
Despite these patrols, the journey remains fraught with danger; hundreds have lost their lives along this route in the past two years. According to IOM statistics, 558 individuals perished last year, with at least 2,082 reported missing over the past decade. This ongoing crisis underscores the resilience of the human spirit amidst adversity, as Yemen currently hosts a significant population of around 380,000 refugees and migrants, illustrating the nation’s crucial role in the broader humanitarian landscape.
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