The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed the deaths of at least 68 African refugees and migrants after a boat carrying 154 people capsized off the coast of Yemen.
The tragic incident occurred near Yemen’s Abyan province, with most of the passengers reported to be Ethiopian nationals attempting to cross the Gulf of Aden.
According to Abdusattor Esoev, IOM’s Head of Mission in Yemen, only 12 people survived the shipwreck. So far, 54 bodies have been recovered along the shoreline of Khanfar district, while 14 others were found dead at a separate location and taken to a local hospital mortuary.
Yemeni health authorities had earlier reported the same number of confirmed deaths 54 but the IOM has since updated the toll to 68, with 74 people still unaccounted for.
The IOM says search and recovery efforts are ongoing as humanitarian
