A devastating accident in the Afar region of Ethiopia has claimed the lives of at least 22 migrants and left 65 others injured, prompting urgent calls for awareness about the dangers of illegal migration. A lorry, reportedly carrying around 85 Ethiopian migrants, overturned in Semera while they were traveling along the hazardous eastern migration route. The journey generally leads migrants across Djibouti, through the Red Sea to Yemen, and onward to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
Many migrants seek work in these nations, despite the evident risks. Eyewitness accounts and local officials report that the lorry overturned as it attempted to navigate treacherous roads, encouraged by illegal brokers. Mohammed Ali Biedo, a senior official in the region, stated that about 30 of the injured have sustained critical injuries.
The Afar regional government has vowed to assist the injured migrants and called on the youth of Ethiopia to reject the false promises related to human trafficking. Our law enforcement will ensure that such tragic events do not continue, the government warned. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) categorized this route as one of the most perilous for migrants, with significant arrivals into Yemen throughout the past year despite the ongoing dangers.
This incident sheds light on the desperate circumstances faced by many seeking better lives away from their home countries.
