13 Ethiopian migrants dead, 14 missing after boat capsizes off Yemen coast
Addis Abeba – Thirteen Ethiopian migrants died, and 14 others are missing after a boat capsized off Yemen’s Ta’iz governorate on 20 August, 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported.
The vessel, which departed from Djibouti, was carrying 25 Ethiopian migrants and two Yemeni crew members when it capsized near the Dubab district in the Bani Al-Hakam sub-district, according to IOM reports.
The deceased include 11 men and two women, whose bodies were recovered along the shores of Bab-al-Mandab near Al-Shura in the Dubab district. The IOM stated that the cause of the incident is still unknown, and search efforts are ongoing for the missing passengers, including the Yemeni captain and his assistant.
“This tragedy highlights the ongoing dangers migrants face on this route,” said Matt Huber, IOM’s Acting Chief of Mission in Yemen. Huber stressed the importance of joint efforts to prevent such incidents and protect vulnerable migrants.
This incident is the latest in a series of tragedies involving Ethiopian migrants. In July, a shipwreck off Yemen’s coast resulted in the deaths of 12 Ethiopian migrants, with four others missing. In June, another boat capsized off the Yemeni coast, leading to 38 deaths and around 100 people unaccounted for. AS