At least 68 migrants have died after a boat carrying around 157 people sank off the coast of Yemen’s Abyan province on Sunday. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says only 12 survivors have been found so far, while dozens remain unaccounted for. Most of those on board were believed to be Ethiopian nationals.
Local security officials say a large search-and-rescue operation has been launched, with many bodies recovered along the shoreline. The boat was reportedly on a known smuggling route used by migrants from the Horn of Africa heading towards Gulf countries in search of work.
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IOM’s Chief in Yemen, Abdusattor Esoev, said the journey was dangerous and often exploited by smugglers. He called on governments to strengthen legal migration pathways to reduce the risk of such tragedies and prevent people from turning to traffickers.
Despite the dangers, more than 60,000 migrants have arrived in Yemen so far this year. The IOM says over 3,400 people have died or gone missing along this route in the past decade, with 1,400 of those due to drowning. Yemen continues to face instability from a civil war that began over ten years ago.
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