Ethiopian migrants who died on the coast of Yemen have departed from the city of Bosaso, the capital of the Bari region in Somalia.

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At least seven Ethiopian migrants have died of hunger and thirst after their boat capsized at sea while attempting to cross from the port city of Bosaso to the southern coast of Yemen, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement. The boat was carrying 250 Ethiopian migrants and was expected to make the 24-hour journey. The boat eventually reached the coast of Arqa in Yemen’s Shabwah region, with the passengers in critical condition. Seven people were confirmed dead during the journey, the IOM said, while others were in critical condition.

IOM medical teams quickly arrived at the scene and provided the survivors with clean water, food and medical care, with many being treated in health facilities for dehydration, malnutrition and other injuries. IOM Representative in Yemen, Abdul-Sattar Isoyif, said the migrants had endured an unimaginable and horrific journey.

“They have been at sea for weeks, without enough food and water. They have been in a very difficult psychological and physical situation. This is a humanitarian disaster,” he said.

He also said that such tragedies will continue if the reasons that force people to migrate are not seriously addressed, such as economic reasons, unemployment, conflicts and violence in some countries in the Horn of Africa.