Yemen - IOM, in close collaboration with the Yemeni and Djibouti authorities, has organized the emergency evacuation by sea from the port of Hodeidah of 252 Ethiopian migrants stranded by the conflict in Yemen.

The IOM-chartered vessel sailed from Hodeidah to Djibouti on Tuesday. IOM medical staff provided pre-departure “fit to travel” medical checks before the 16-hour voyage and food and water on board. In Djibouti, IOM provided the migrants with temporary accommodation, food and onward transport to Ethiopia.

“I was trapped in Haradh (on the Saudi border) for months. I later made my way to Hodeidah and contacted IOM though Yemeni friends. I was very lucky to get out,” said one of the migrants.

Since the beginning of the armed conflict in March 2015, IOM has helped 1,665 migrants from the Horn of Africa leave from Hodeidah port. It is helping another 1,300, who are still awaiting evacuation to Djibouti.

In addition to evacuation of third country nationals, IOM Yemen is also helping conflict-affected communities through the provision of mobile clinics, water trucking to hospitals and distribution of non-food relief items including shelter materials.

For more information please contact IOM Yemen. Chissey Mueller, Tel: +967 737 501 683, Email: cmueller@iom.int or Bekim Ajdini, Tel: +967 73 9633 887 or +389 70 833 336, Email: bajdini@iom.int