A boat carrying over 26 Ethiopians has capsized killing 19. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday as the group of individuals traveled to a funeral on a home-made wooden vessel on the Tekeze River, near Ethiopia’s border with Eritrea. Efforts are underway to retrieve the victims’ bodies, with only two recovered so far. Ethiopian authorities have yet to comment on the incident.
The Tekeze River serves as a crucial escape route for illegal migrants and civilians fleeing conflicts in Amhara and the neighboring Tigray region. At the peak of the Tigray civil war, thousands of Ethiopians crossed to Sudan using the river. Boats often capsize on this perilous route as smugglers transport illegal migrants to the Gulf of Aden and onwards to the Middle East and Europe. Refugees frequently report sighting dead bodies floating on the river.
An ongoing conflict in Amhara, involving Ethiopian federal forces and an Amhara nationalist group known as FANO, has escalated civilian displacement. Many have been undertaking risky migrations to escape the violence.
This boat accident occurred as Ethiopians mourn the deaths of at least 257 people in recent mudslides in the country’s south. Lawmakers declared a three-day period of national mourning that began on Saturday.
