At least 13 people have died when a migrant boat sank off Yemen, also leaving 14 missing, a UN agency said Sunday, in the latest disaster on the perilous migration route.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that those who lost their lives and missing were onboard migrant boat which capsized off the coast of Yemen’s Taiz governorate last week, adding ” The boat had departed from Djibouti carrying 25 Ethiopian and two Yemeni nationals.
Eleven men and two women were among those confirmed dead, as search operations continue to locate the missing, including the Yemeni captain and his assistant, the IOM said.
“This latest tragedy is a stark reminder of the perils faced by migrants on this route,” said Matt Huber, the acting chief of IOM’s mission in Yemen.
Tens of thousands of migrants set off yearly from the Horn of Africa, seeking poor economic prospects.
The IOM recorded over 97,200 migrant arrivals in Yemen in 2023, surpassing the previous year’s numbers.
The latest shipwreck follows similar incidents during June and July that left dozens dead.
Migrants who do reach Yemen often encounter further threats to their safety, as the country has been mired in crisis for nearly a decade.