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186 Migrants Missing After Boats Sink off Yemen Coast
At least 186 migrants are missing after four boats carrying migrants sank between Djibouti and Yemen. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported the incident on Friday, March 7.
IOM spokesperson Tamim Elian informed the Associated Press that two boats sank off the coast of Yemen on the night of Thursday, March 6. While two crew members were rescued, 181 migrants and five Yemeni crew members remain unaccounted for.
Simultaneously, two additional boats sank off the coast of Djibouti in Africa. The bodies of two migrants were recovered, but the remaining individuals were rescued alive.
The IOM did not provide specific information on the identities of those aboard the vessels. However, it is common for Ethiopians to use this perilous route to seek work in Gulf countries or escape conflict in their home country.
Abdusattor, the head of the IOM mission in Yemen, explained to the Associated Press that the boats sank near Djibouti's coastline shortly after departure, likely due to strong winds.
The third boat, which sank in the Dhubab district of Yemen's Taiz governorate, was carrying 31 Ethiopian migrants and three Yemeni crew members.
According to IOM, this maritime route is one of the most hazardous migration paths in the world. The organization anticipates over 60,000 migrant arrivals in Yemen in 2024.
In January of this year, 20 Ethiopian migrants lost their lives when another boat sank off Yemen's coast. IOM reports that, as of 2024, 558 people have perished while attempting the journey.