The UN migration agency said on Tuesday that over 49 migrants have lost their lives and 140 others went missing after their boat overturned off the coast of Yemen.
A statement from the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) revealed that the ship left Somalia with 260 migrants on board including Somalis and Ethiopians.
The mishap occurred on Monday near Alghareef Point in the Shabwah governorate of Yemen. The deceased include 31 women and six children, according to IOM.
“This recent tragedy is 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,” said Mohammedali Abunajela, a spokesperson for IOM.
According to IOM, they have recorded 1,860 migrant deaths and disappearances along the route running from East Africa and the Horn of Africa to Gulf countries since 2014. Out of these, nearly 500 lost their lives due to drowning.
IOM said that the migration route in question is the most dangerous in the world.
“Often relying on smugglers to navigate the journey, migrants are frequently at an increased risk, including of human trafficking, during the perilous boat journey to Yemen’s shores,” it said.
The United Nations said that approximately 97,000 migrants reached Yemen from the Horn of Africa last year.
