The International Organization for Migration said at least 49 people died and another 140 remain missing after a boat carrying 260 migrants originating from Somalia capsized Monday off the coast of Yemen.
In a statement Tuesday, the U.N. agency said the boat departed from Bossaso at around 3:00 a.m. local time Sunday, carrying 115 Somali nationals and 145 Ethiopians. It said the boat capsized in the Gulf of Aden near Alghareef Point, in Yemen’s Shabwah governorate.
The IOM said it mobilized two medical teams to provide immediate assistance to the survivors, including six children. The agency said eight of the 71 known survivors required further medical attention and were referred to a hospital, while the remaining 63 received first aid and minor treatment.
The IOM credited local fishermen and other community members for what it called “their crucial role” in assisting with the recovery efforts and the burial of some of the deceased.
The agency said search and rescue efforts are underway for the missing, adding that bodies continue to wash up on shore.
The IOM said the incident is part of a recent rise in migrants from the Horn of Africa to Yemen brought on by political and economic instability, alongside severe droughts and other extreme weather events in countries like Ethiopia and Somalia.
The agency said two other recent shipwrecks along the coast of Djibouti claimed the lives of at least 62 migrants.
In the statement, IOM spokesman Mohammedali Abunajela said, “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.”
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