Six Yemeni Fishermen Missing Off Red Sea Coast Amid Growing Concern

Families in the coastal district of Dhubab, west of Taiz Governorate, have issued an urgent distress call regarding six fishermen who have been out of contact for two days while on a fishing expedition in the Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

A statement released by the relatives of the missing individuals specified that the vessel, a seven-meter boat powered by a 40-horsepower engine, departed the shores of Dhubab last Monday, February 9, 2026. Field reports indicate that the fishermen headed toward international waters in the zone separating the Yemeni and Eritrean coasts before all communication with the shore abruptly ceased.

The list of the missing fishermen includes Captain Al-Nimr Salem Abdullah Bousi, Ibrahim Salem Abdullah Bousi, Rashid Awad Bahour, Najeeb Awad Bahour, Abdulhafeez Ahmed Abdullah, and Ma'an Qadimi Saud Qashi.

The fishermen's families expressed profound apprehension for the safety of their relatives, citing turbulent seas and rapidly changing weather conditions. They appealed directly to the Yemeni Coast Guard, international forces stationed in the Red Sea, and humanitarian organizations to commence extensive search operations in the area to locate the missing men.

This incident underscores the perennial dangers confronting fishermen in this critical maritime zone. These risks encompass the threat of indiscriminate Houthi naval mines, severe weather hazards, and frequent interceptions by Eritrean patrols, collectively amplifying the public anxiety within the coastal district.