A boat carrying about 150 migrants sank off the coast of Yemen. According to local health authorities, at least 54 people have died, dozens of people are considered missing. About this informs Reuters.
The incident happened near the Akhwar district in the southern province of Abyan, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. A representative of the regional health service noted that only ten people were saved – nine Ethiopians and one Yemeni. Dozens of people remain missing, search and rescue operations continue. According to two medics, rescuers continue to search for those who could have survived.
The International Organization for Migration reports an increase in the flow of illegal migrants from Africa to Yemen. Every year, people cross the Bab al-Mandab strait in rickety boats in an attempt to reach the Gulf countries in search of income. The organization calls the route from the Horn of Africa to Yemen “one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world.” Last year, according to her data, more than 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen.
Currently, the carrying capacity of Yemeni ports in the Red Sea has been significantly reduced as a result of hostilities. Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen, claiming support for the Palestinians in the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In response, Israel struck port and energy infrastructure, including the port of Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast.
