A tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Yemen on Monday, as a boat carrying migrants from the Horn of Africa capsized, leaving at least 38 dead and dozens missing.
Local official Hadi Al-Khurma, director of Rudum district, confirmed the deaths to Reuters.
The overloaded vessel sank before reaching the shores of Shabwa governorate, located east of Aden.
Fortunately, fishermen and residents in the area were able to rescue 78 migrants.
However, survivors reported that roughly 100 others were on board, raising concerns about a significantly higher death toll. Search efforts are ongoing.
The United Nations has been notified of the incident.
This comes amidst a worrying trend of migration; according to the UN, 97,000 migrants arrived in Yemen from the Horn of Africa in 2023 alone.
