The recent tragic drowning incidents of African migrants along the Yemeni coast have left behind a space of grief and sorrow, especially among the families of the victims and the affected individuals. Over the past ten years, as the region has been embroiled in armed conflict, these drowning incidents have become alarmingly common, claiming the lives of thousands of African migrants, most of whom are women and children. While the maritime migration route from the eastern Horn of Africa to Yemen is inherently perilous and crowded, it is nonetheless used by hundreds of thousands of African migrants, many of whom undertake irregular journeys arranged by smuggling networks, further increasing their exposure to risks such as drowning disasters and other hazards.
Smuggling and human trafficking gangs often transport African migrants in unseaworthy fishing boats without taking safety precautions or rescue measures.
Recurring Incidents
On 8 June 2024, a boat carrying 260 Somali and Ethiopian migrants capsized off the coast of Yemen. Tragically, more than 49 migrants, including 31 women and 6 children, lost their lives, while around 140 people remain missing, according to the International Organization for Migration IOM. The incident occurred near the Ain Bam’abad area in Shabwah Governorate, southern Yemen.
In late July 2024, UNHCR verified another tragic incident when a boat carrying 45 asylum seekers capsized off the coast of Taiz Governorate, with only 4 migrants surviving. The cause was attributed to strong winds and overloading.
In light of concerns about the recurrence of humanitarian disasters, in which hundreds of people lose their lives, there is an urgent need to establish specialized civilian response teams, equipped with emergency resources, including rescue boats, to address crises immediately and provide basic safety measures. These teams would be best to be existed in health centers along the coasts, especially in high-risk areas such as Ras al-Ara and al-Mudharaba district in Lahj governorate, Radhum district in Shabwah governorate in southern Yemen, and Mokha district in Taiz governorate in the southern Red Sea.
Smuggling and human trafficking gangs often transport African migrants in unseaworthy fishing boats without taking safety precautions or rescue measures. Overcrowding of small smuggling boats with large numbers of migrants during journeys leads to significant weight gain, which alarmingly increases the risk of drowning at sea. Journeys across open waters are also fraught with challenges such as severe weather conditions, thunderstorms, rough waters and high tides.
These criminal smuggling networks benefit closely from their illicit activities, exposing migrants to multiple risks, showing callous disregard for the lives of migrants, and committing heinous atrocities such as killing, maiming, sexual violence, forced labour, arbitrary detention, torture for ransom, financial extortion.
There is an urgent need to establish specialized civilian response teams, equipped with emergency resources, including rescue boats, to address crises immediately and provide basic safety measures.
Shock and amazement
Sadly, smuggling and trafficking gangs operate with impunity, and current security efforts to dismantle these criminal networks remain insufficient. There is an urgent need for concerted efforts to combat these gangs and hold perpetrators of crimes against migrants accountable.
Local Yemeni human rights organizations have well documented incidents of drowning and other violations. The International Organization for Migration is working hard to recover the bodies of the deceased, bury them properly, contact the families of the victims, offer condolences, support survivors, and improve search and rescue efforts in areas where drownings occurred.
However, survivors of drowning tragedies suffer from a state of shock and deep psychological trauma. The terrifying moments they experienced while the boat capsized and watching their loved ones drown leave indelible scars. The recovery phase from the trauma, especially for children, requires specialized psychological support to overcome the consequences of such painful incidents. Dealing with drowning disasters requires intensifying humanitarian efforts and taking precautionary measures to reduce or limit the risks of drowning. The recurrence of these incidents raises deep concern among the humanitarian community, especially those concerned with the conditions of migrants in Yemen.
