United Nations and Yemeni officials revealed around 200
people are presumed to miss after their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen
this week. An official said that people who were on that board have been
missing since Sunday. This was carrying mainly Africans from the Horn of
Africa, as well as some Yemenis. Bodies of 25 people were recovered off Yemen
from the boat that was carrying 200 people.
Few fishermen found the bodies floating in the waters of
Ras al-Ara in the southern province of Lahij. That place is very secluded from
the main city and is known for human trafficking that the locals call the “Gate
of Hell". The UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) tweeted
stating that they have verifying reports of a capsized vessel and that its
teams were ready to respond to the needs of survivors.
However, sensing a threat from human trafficking
perspective too, officials are still searching for bodies in the water and at
nearby shores. This eastern route is commonly used by thousands of people to
smuggle to cross the Red Sea from East Africa and to find work at Gulf Nations.
Since Yemen is the easiest way for them to get to Saudi Arabia, many also using
as a transit point to save up money before going to Gulf countries. However,
due to Covid-19 Saudi Arabia closed its borders, and hundreds of migrants were
stranded in Yemen.
Several times, local people have appealed to Yemen’s
internationally recognised government to intervene, saying the area had become
a free-for-all for human traffickers without any action from authorities.
Especially because in April, 44 44 people died off Djibouti, after the
capsizing of their boat which had left from Yemen.
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