In brief
In a tragic event off the coasts of Yemen and Djibouti, recent data reveals that at least two individuals have lost their lives and 186 others are missing after four migrant boats capsized. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the boats were attempting to transport migrants from Africa in search of work in Gulf countries.
The first two boats capsized late Thursday night near Yemen. Spokesperson Tamim Eleian reported that although two crew members were rescued, there are still 181 migrants and five Yemeni crew members unaccounted for. Concurrently, two additional vessels sank near Djibouti, where two bodies were recovered, but all other occupants were saved.The incident has been attributed to strong winds that overturned the boats shortly after they left shore. Abdusattor Esoev, the IOM's mission head in Yemen, added that one of the capsized boats was carrying 31 Ethiopian migrants and three Yemeni crew members while the second vessel carried 150 Ethiopian migrants and four crew members.Yemen continues to be a significant transit point for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa who are desperate to find work in the Gulf states. Reports suggest that over 97,000 individuals attempted this perilous journey in 2023 alone, a stark increase compared to previous years. However, a report from the IOM indicates that numbers had dropped to under 61,000 in 2022, potentially due to more robust maritime patrols in the region.The migration route has seen over a decade's worth of dangers, with at least 2,082 migrants unaccounted for, including 693 confirmed fatalities from drowning incidents. Currently, it is estimated that around 380,000 migrants are precariously residing in Yemen, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
