At least 76 people were killed when a migrant boat sank off the coast of Yemen

A vessel mainly carrying Ethiopian migrants sank near Yemen on Sunday (August 3rd), killing at least 76 people and leaving dozens missing.

AFP reported that Yemeni security officials said on Monday (the 4th) that 76 bodies had been retrieved from the sunken ship and 32 people had been rescued. The UN migration agency said there were a total of 157 people on board.

Essoyev, the head of the International Organization for Migration's Yemen affairs, told AFP that this incident is one of the deadliest migrant shipwrecks near Yemen this year.

The destination of this ship is Abyan Province in southern Yemen, which is a common destination for ships carrying African migrants who have illegally crossed to wealthy Gulf countries.

A security official said that some of the rescued people have been transferred to the Yemeni city of Aden near Abyan.

Every year, thousands of people embark on the "Eastern Route", crossing the Red Sea from Djibouti to Yemen, hoping to eventually reach countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Records from the International Organization for Migration show that at least 558 people died on the Red Sea route last year, among whom 462 died in ship accidents.

Bonferio of the Center for Mixed Migration Research and Policy told AFP: "This route is mainly controlled by smugglers and human trafficking networks..." Refugees and migrants have no choice but to hire their services.

Immigrants are well aware of the risks involved, but due to the lack of legal channels and the fact that their families rely on remittances from Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, many feel they have no choice.

Once they arrive in Yemen, immigrants often also face other security threats. The International Organization for Migration said that tens of thousands of migrants are stranded in Yemen and have been abused and exploited during their travels.