At least 13 people have died, and 14 remain missing after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Yemen, according to a report from Al Jazeera, which cited the United Nations migration agency.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, saying, "A migrant boat capsized off the coast of Yemen's Taiz governorate on Tuesday."
The boat, which had departed from Djibouti carrying 25 Ethiopian migrants and two Yemeni nationals, sank near Dubab district in the Bani al-Hakam subdistrict of Yemen, Al Jazeera reported. Among the deceased were 11 men and two women. A search operation is ongoing to locate the missing individuals, which include the Yemeni captain and his assistant. The cause of the boat’s sinking remains unclear.
IOM Yemen shared a tweet, stating, "A tragic shipwreck off Yemen has claimed 13 lives, with 14 people still missing. This disaster is a grim reminder of the urgent need to prevent these migrant tragedies, ensuring better protection for those seeking safety."
The acting chief of IOM's mission in Yemen called attention to the recurring risks faced by migrants on this route, saying, "This latest tragedy is a stark reminder of the perils faced by migrants on this route." The statement further emphasized, "Every life lost in these dangerous waters is one too many, and it is imperative that we do not normalise these devastating losses and instead work collectively to ensure that migrants are protected and supported throughout their journeys."
The IOM highlighted that this latest incident follows similar shipwrecks in June and July. It noted, "[It] is yet another devastating reminder of the extreme dangers of this migration route and the reliance on smuggling networks. Vulnerable migrants are often pushed into perilous conditions by smugglers as they attempt to flee desperate circumstances in search of safety and opportunity in the Gulf states."
Each year, tens of thousands of refugees and migrants depart from the Horn of Africa to escape conflict, natural disasters, or poor economic conditions, often crossing the Red Sea to reach Gulf nations. According to the IOM, over 97,200 migrants arrived in Yemen in 2023, surpassing the previous year’s numbers. Yemen, however, remains a dangerous destination, as the country has been embroiled in civil war for nearly a decade. Many of these migrants aim to reach Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in search of employment as laborers or domestic workers.
