Sun Aug 03 18:06:55 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
A boat carrying approximately 150 African refugees and migrants, primarily from Ethiopia, capsized off the coast of Yemen due to strong winds. At least 54 bodies have been recovered, and dozens remain missing. Rescue operations are ongoing, but conditions are difficult. This perilous route between the Horn of Africa and Yemen is frequently used by migrants and refugees seeking passage to Yemen or onward to Gulf countries. Despite a recent decrease in migrant arrivals in Yemen (though still significant), the route remains deadly, with hundreds dying or disappearing each year.
**News Article:**
**Dozens Dead, Many Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Yemen**
*Abyan Governorate, Yemen* – At least 54 African refugees and migrants have died after a boat capsized off the coast of Yemen on Saturday, local authorities confirmed on Sunday. Dozens more remain missing, sparking urgent search and rescue efforts.
The vessel, carrying approximately 150 people primarily from Ethiopia, encountered strong winds and capsized in the Arabian Sea near Shaqra, in the Abyan Governorate. Abdul Qader Bajamil, director of the health office in Zanzibar, stated that rescue teams have recovered 54 bodies from beaches in the area, while 12 survivors have been transferred to Shaqra Hospital.
“We are making arrangements to bury the deceased near the city,” Bajamil said, adding that the search for the missing continues amidst challenging conditions.
The waters between Yemen and the Horn of Africa represent a well-trodden but extremely dangerous route for migrants and refugees. Many fleeing conflict and instability in countries like Somalia and Ethiopia attempt to reach Yemen, either seeking refuge there or transiting onward to wealthier Gulf nations.
The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) has described the route as one of the “busiest and most perilous” in the world. Smugglers often pack migrants onto overcrowded and unsafe boats for the crossing.
While migrant arrivals in Yemen have decreased this year (60,000 in 2024 versus 97,200 in the previous year), partially due to increased patrols, the journey remains tragically deadly. According to the IOM, 558 people died along the route last year, and over the past decade, at least 2,082 people have disappeared, including 693 known to have drowned. Yemen currently hosts approximately 380,000 refugees and migrants. The IOM continues to call for increased efforts to protect vulnerable migrants and refugees along this dangerous migration corridor.
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