The International Organization for Migration confirmed today, Friday, that the number of victims of the sinking of the boat that was carrying Ethiopian migrants off the coast of Taiz, southwest of Yemen, has risen to 16 people, including one dead or missing.

The organization's regional office for East Africa and the Horn of Africa said, in a press statement, that 12 Ethiopian migrants were killed, while 4 others are still missing, following the boat sinking incident that occurred last Wednesday, off the coast of Yemen.

The statement added that the boat, which was carrying 20 Ethiopian migrants, most of them from the Tigray region, left Djibouti on Wednesday morning, on its way to Yemen, but due to strong winds and an engine failure, the boat capsized in the Red Sea near Dhu Bab District. In Taiz Governorate.

The regional office explained that of the 22 passengers, only six survived, including the Yemeni captain of the boat and his assistant, and the bodies of a man and a woman were recovered and buried by the local authorities, while the remaining individuals are still missing.

The acting head of the International Organization for Migration’s mission in Yemen, Matt Hooper, stressed that “the latest incident underscores the urgent need to strengthen safety measures and cooperative efforts to protect migrants, especially in light of the alarming increase in incidents of migrant deaths at sea, which represents a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who die.” They are fleeing desperate circumstances.”