Following the flight of hundreds of civilians, navy personnel and National Service corps across the Red Sea, the Eritrean government has banned any movements of boats in the Eritrean coast. The decree forbids, for an indefinite period, Eritrean fishermen and traders from operating their fishing or trading boats.

In the last five years, close to 120 boats of different size and function were used by Eritreans to escape to the Saudi and Yemeni shores. They include navy fast boats, fishing boats operated by the navy, civilian fishing and/or commercial boats and at least one research boat belonging to the Ministry of Fisheries marine research department. Most of these are �sambouk�s and �houri�s (traditional, medium and small-sized wooden boat), but they also include a number of modern vessels.