Sanaa, August 26 (RHC)-- At least 13 people lost their lives and 14 others remain missing after the shipwreck of a boat carrying migrants from Djibouti on the coast of the Yemeni province of Taiz last Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration announced (IOM) The European Commission has published a report on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
According to the organization, the ship left the African coast with 25 Ethiopians and two Yemenis on board and sank near the Yemeni district of Bani Al Hakam. The bodies of “eleven men and two women” have been found on the shores of “Bab al-Mandeb near Al Shura in the district of Dubab”, in Yemeni territory.
“The search operations continue in the hope of locating the other emigrants, the Yemeni captain and his aide,” the note said, stating that “despite exhaustive efforts the reasons for the shipwreck are not clear yet”.
According to IOM Yemen Mission Chief Matt Huber, “this latest tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants on this route. It is imperative that we do not normalize these devastating losses and work collectively to ensure that migrants are protected and supported during their travels.”
The migration route from the Horn of Africa to Yemen is one of the most dangerous in the world, with thousands of migrants crossing each year despite the conflict and deteriorating conditions in Yemen, IOM said.