At least 68 migrants have lost their lives after a boat carrying around 157 people sank in rough waters off the coast of Yemen.
The boat overturned near Yemen’s southern Abyan province on Sunday, according to the Yemen chief for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), who spoke with the BBC. He confirmed that 12 people were rescued, while many others remain missing.
Most of the deceased are believed to be Ethiopian nationals, the IOM said.
Yemen remains a key transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa attempting to reach Gulf countries in search of better job opportunities. The IOM notes that hundreds of people have either died or disappeared in shipwrecks in recent months.
