Migrant boat capsizes off Yemen, at least 49 dead, 140 missing

The International Organization for Migration said at least 49 people died and another 140 remain missing after a boat carrying 260 migrants originating from Somalia capsized Monday off the coast of Yemen.

In a statement Tuesday, the U.N. agency said the boat departed from Bossaso at around 3:00 a.m. local time Sunday, carrying 115 Somali nationals and 145 Ethiopians. It said the boat capsized in the Gulf of Aden near Alghareef Point, in Yemen’s Shabwah governorate.

The IOM said it mobilized two medical teams to provide immediate assistance to the survivors, including six children. The agency said eight of the 71 known survivors required further medical attention and were referred to a hospital, while the remaining 63 received first aid and minor treatment.

The IOM credited local fishermen and other community members for what it called “their crucial role” in assisting with the recovery efforts and the burial of some of the deceased.

The agency said search and rescue efforts are underway for the missing, adding that bodies continue to wash up on shore.