Ethiopians told to 'avoid irregular routes' after Yemen disaster - Africa
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said 157 people were on board when the vessel sank on Sunday in the Gulf of Aden.
It was headed for the Abyan governorate in southern Yemen, a popular destination for boats smuggling Africans hoping to reach wealthy Gulf states.
"Ethiopia mourns the tragic loss of 60+ (plus) citizens in a maritime disaster off Yemen's coast," Ethiopia's permanent mission in Geneva wrote on X, adding that authorities in Addis Ababa are "working with partners to investigate and urge citizens to avoid irregular routes."
Thousands of Africans travel from Djibouti to Yemen across the Red Sea, hoping to reach oil-rich Gulf states to work as labourers or domestic workers.
Many are from Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, which was ravaged by war between 2020 and 2022.
The Red Sea migrant route is one of the world's most dangerous, according to IOM, which documented at least 558 deaths last year.
In March, at least 180 people were reported missing off the Yemeni coast, the vast majority of them Ethiopians.
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Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Ethiopians told to 'avoid irregular routes' after Yemen disaster - Africa
Ethiopia asked citizens to "avoid irregular routes," two days after a boat carrying mostly Ethiopian migrants sank off Yemen, killing at least 76 and leaving dozens missing. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said 157 people were on board when the vessel sank on Sunday in the Gulf of Aden. It was headed for the Abyan governorate in southern Yemen, a popular destination for boats smuggling Africans hoping to reach wealthy Gulf states. "Ethiopia mourns the tragic loss of 60+ (plus) citizens in a maritime disaster off Yemen's coast," Ethiopia's permanent mission in Geneva wrote on X, adding that authorities in Addis Ababa are "working with partners to investigate and urge citizens to avoid irregular routes." Thousands of Africans travel from Djibouti to Yemen across the Red Sea, hoping to reach oil-rich Gulf states to work as labourers or domestic workers. Many are from Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, which was ravaged by war between 2020 and 2022. The Red Sea migrant route is one of the world's most dangerous, according to IOM, which documented at least 558 deaths last year. In March, at least 180 people were reported missing off the Yemeni coast, the vast majority of them Ethiopians. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Egypt Independent
4 days ago
- Egypt Independent
Over 60 African migrants killed and dozens missing after boat capsizes near Yemen, says UN
Cairo AP — A boat capsized Sunday in waters off Yemen's coast leaving 68 African migrants dead and 74 others missing, the UN's migration agency said. The tragedy was the latest in a series of shipwrecks off Yemen that have killed hundreds of African migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in hopes of reaching the wealthy Gulf Arab countries. The vessel, with 154 Ethiopian migrants on board, sank in the Gulf of Aden off the southern Yemeni province of Abyan early Sunday, Abdusattor Esoev, head of the International Organization for Migration in Yemen told The Associated Press. He said the bodies of 54 migrants washed ashore in the district of Khanfar, and 14 others were found dead and taken to a hospital morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan on Yemen's southern coast. Only 12 migrants survived the shipwreck, and the rest were missing and presumed dead, Esoev said. In a statement, the Abyan security directorate described a massive search-and-rescue operation given the large number of dead and missing migrants. It said many dead bodies were found scattered across a wide area of the shore. Despite more than a decade of civil war, Yemen is a major route for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa trying to reach the Gulf Arab countries for work. Migrants are taken by smugglers on often dangerous, overcrowded boats across the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden. Hundreds of migrants have died or gone missing in shipwrecks off Yemen in recent months, including in March when two migrants died and 186 others were missing after four boats capsized off Yemen and Djibouti, according to the IOM. More than 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen in 2024, down from 97,200 in 2023, probably because of greater patrolling of the waters, according to an IOM report in March.
Daily News Egypt
6 days ago
- Daily News Egypt
Dozens of Ethiopian Migrants Dead, Dozens More Missing After Boat Sinks Off Yemen
At least 68 Ethiopian migrants have died and 74 others remain missing after a crowded boat capsized off the southern coast of Yemen, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The vessel, carrying over 150 people—mostly young Ethiopian migrants—was attempting to cross the Gulf of Aden when it sank near the coast of Abyan province early Sunday. Local officials confirmed that only 12 survivors have been rescued so far, while dozens of bodies have washed ashore in Khanfar district. Many more are believed to have drowned, with search and recovery operations ongoing. The IOM noted that this route continues to be one of the world's most dangerous migration corridors, with tens of thousands of Africans risking their lives each year trying to reach Gulf countries via Yemen. Over 60,000 African migrants reportedly entered Yemen in 2024 alone. This latest tragedy highlights the deepening humanitarian toll of illegal migration, driven not only by economic desperation but also by political instability and conflict in Ethiopia. Reports suggest a surge in young people fleeing the Tigray region to escape forced recruitment by the TPLF amid renewed fears of conflict. Despite multiple fatal incidents in recent years, including a deadly March shipwreck that left over 180 migrants dead or missing, the Ethiopian government has yet to comment on the latest loss of life.
