A boat tragedy off the coast of Yemen has caused the death of at least 68 migrants mostly Ethiopians, the International Organization for Migration confirmed on Monday.
The boat carrying almost 160 migrants capsized near the southern Yemeni province of Abyan on Sunday evening, IOM said.
Bad weather was blamed for the tragedy in which ‘many Ethiopians’ died as dozens remain unaccounted for after a number of the migrants were rescued.
A rescue operation has been underway since Sunday evening with bodies recovered and more expected to be found in the intervening period.
With the help of people smugglers, East African migrants, many of them Ethiopians fleeing unrest, repression and economic hardship have been using Yemen as a springboard to reach preferred destinations in the Middle East.
In recent years hundreds have died at sea while making the journey which is in search of greener pastures away from their home countries which are rocked by conflict, drought, famine, and torrid economic realities.
The migrants are usually from the Horn of Africa countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
WN/as/APA