Horrific shipwreck off Yemen: 27 migrants dead, over 100 missing
Illustrative photo: migrant search at sea (Getty Images)
A boat carrying more than 150 people has sunk off the coast of Yemen in one of the deadliest migration tragedies this year, according to Al Arabiya.
According to media reports, the accident occurred on August 2 off the coast of Abyan, a region frequently used by smugglers to transport migrants to Yemen.
At least 27 migrants died in the incident.
Search operations are still ongoing, as the fate of around 100 people remains unknown. Rescue workers report that approximately 150 individuals were on board the sunken vessel.
Bodies have been found scattered along various beaches of the Abyan province. Police say the boat was heading for this region, which regularly receives smuggler vessels.
Despite the ongoing war in Yemen since 2014, the flow of irregular migrants through the country has not stopped. A particularly large number of people arrive from Ethiopia, where interethnic conflict continues.
Migrants often attempt to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime route between the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, which is used not only for trade but also for migration and human smuggling.
US President Donald Trump has urged Europe to halt migration before a catastrophe occurs.
Meanwhile, the United States is planning to deport half a million migrants from Haiti.
The White House is invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as the legal basis for expelling foreigners suspected of involvement in criminal groups.
