Boat capsizes near Yemen: At least 49 dead, 140 others missing

The UN migration agency reported on Tuesday that over 49 migrants died and 140 others went missing after their boat capsized off Yemen's coast. According to a statement from the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), the boat, carrying 260 migrants from Somalia, including Somalis and Ethiopians, overturned near Alghareef Point in Yemen's Shabwah governorate on Monday. Among the deceased were 31 women and six children.

Mohammedali Abunajela, a spokesperson for IOM, emphasized the need for collective action to address urgent migration challenges and ensure migrant safety along these perilous routes. The IOM has documented 1,860 migrant deaths and disappearances along the East Africa and Horn of Africa to Gulf countries route since 2014, with nearly 500 deaths due to drowning. This route is considered the most dangerous migration route in the world.

Migrants often depend on smugglers to navigate the journey, increasing their risk of human trafficking and other dangers during the dangerous boat trip to Yemen. Last year, approximately 97,000 migrants reached Yemen from the Horn of Africa, according to the United Nations.