Yemeni Coast. Photo | Courtesy of Perim Media.
Some 13 dead while 14 others still missing after a boat ferrying migrants capsized off the coast of Yemen according to reports from International Organization of Migration (IOM).
The boat ferrying 25 Ethiopian nationals and two Yemeni nationals capsized on Tuesday in Dubab district in Bani Al-Alhakam sub-district after embarking for the journey from Djibouti
In a statement by the International Organization of Migration 11 men and 2 women are among the bodies found in a search operation with 14 others still missing the 2 Yemeni nationals among those still missing.
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“This latest tragedy is a stark reminder of the perils faced by migrants on this route,” said Matt Huber, the acting chief of IOM’s mission in Yemen.
“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.”
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The tragedy that happened on Tuesday comes after similar shipwrecks that happened in the month of June and July according to IOM.
“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,” stated the IOM.
With the cause of the shipwreck still unknown , large numbers of individuals form East Africa embark on this deadly journey aiming for the gulf countries in a bid to eke a living and escape conflict in their mother countries.
The deadly journey doesn’t come without it’s challenges with migrants having to go through a conflict-ridden Yemen which has witnessed civil war for the last decade and unpredictable weather conditions at sea which puts their safety in question.
