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At least 49 people have died and 140 are missing after a boat carrying refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa to Yemen capsized, the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports.
There were 260 people on the boat
According to reports, the boat capsized on Monday, carrying about 260 people, most of whom were from Ethiopia and Somalia. All of them left the northern coast of Somalia and crossed the Gulf of Aden to reach Yemen. The distance is said to be about 320 km (200 miles). Refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa and East Africa face a dangerous journey through Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries in the region.
49 people died
The IOM issued a statement on Tuesday saying that 71 people have been rescued, of which 8 have been taken to the hospital. Apart from this, the dead include 6 children and 31 women. Earlier in April, 62 people died when two ships sank off the coast of Djibouti while trying to reach Yemen.
More than 1800 people died on this route
The IOM further said that at least 1,860 people were killed or missing along the route, including 480 who drowned. More refugees and migrants are taking this route despite the devastating effects of the nearly decade-long war in Yemen, Al Jazeera reports.
For the past several months, the Iran-backed Houthis have been attacking commercial and military ships in the Gulf of Aden. It has reportedly demanded that Israel end the war on Gaza. In response, the United States and the United Kingdom have launched airstrikes on Yemen in an effort to protect international interests.