At least 38 people from the Horn of Africa have died after their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen, local officials report. Survivors told rescuers that the vessel, carrying around 250 people, sank due to strong winds. The search is ongoing for nearly 100 missing individuals.
Local authorities in Rudum, east of Aden, confirmed that the passengers were primarily migrants from Ethiopia, using Yemen as a transit point to reach Gulf states. Hadi Al-Khurma, the director of Rudum district, informed Reuters that the boat sank before reaching the shore.
He stated, “Fishermen and residents managed to rescue 78 migrants, who reported that about 100 others are missing. The search is still ongoing, and the United Nations has been informed of the incident.”
According to the UN, 97,000 migrants arrived in Yemen from the Horn of Africa last year, despite the ongoing war in Yemen and recent Houthi assaults on ships in the Red Sea.
