A boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of Yemen, leaving at least 49 people dead and 140 missing.
As per Al-Jazeera, the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday, June 11, that the boat, carrying around 260 Somalis and Ethiopians, was making a 200-mile journey from Somalia across the Gulf of Aden when it sank on Monday.
However, search efforts are ongoing, with 71 people rescued so far. Among the dead are 31 women and six children.
Yemen is a common route for migrants from East Africa aiming to reach Gulf countries for work.
Despite nearly a decade of civil war, the number of migrants arriving in Yemen tripled from 27,000 in 2021 to over 90,000 in 2023, according to the IOM.
Migrants often undertake the perilous journey on overcrowded, unsafe boats.
In April, 62 people died in two shipwrecks off Djibouti while trying to reach Yemen.
The IOM reported that at least 1,860 people have died or disappeared on this route, including 480 who drowned.
Meanwhile, Mohammedali Abunajela, an IOM spokesman, emphasised the need for urgent cooperation to address migration, stating, "Monday’s sinking was another reminder of the urgent need to work together to address urgent migration challenges and ensure the safety and security of migrants along migration routes."
