Eritrea - Security

Eritrea Security

Overall Crime and Safety

Eritrea’s land borders with Djibouti and Ethiopia are closed. Eritrea’s land border with Sudan is operational in response to the conflict in Sudan according to the UK Foreign Office travel advice (2023).  Cruisers who sailed the Red Sea in 2023 reported not stopping due to ongoing civil unrest.

Cruisers who have visited here have report feeling safe when traveling ashore and surprised by the friendliness of the locals. Crime that is likely to affect foreigners in Eritrea is limited to pickpocketing and petty theft. The risk is higher in Asmara.

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Eritrea, attacks can’t be ruled out.

For travel advisories, see the following websites:

• www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eritrea
• OSAC Crime and Safety Report 2019

Specific areas of concern

The FCO advise against all travel within 25km of Eritrea’s land borders, with the exceptions of: the towns of Senafe and Tessenei; the border crossings at Debay Sima – Burre, Serha – Zalambessa and Kesadika (Adi Kuala) – Rama, plus the main paved roads leading to those crossings. All border crossings between Ethiopia and Eritrea are currently closed.

In most places, the border is neither marked nor obvious.

All foreign nationals must apply in advance for a travel permit to leave Asmara.

Maritime Issues

Military ports and coastal installations are restricted areas and should be well-avoided by cruising boats. Keep well offshore.

Harmil, position 1629.58N 04008.32E, is a military outpost and should be well-avoided.

If you get too close, it's likely you will be approached by the Eritrean Coastguard and questioned (see incident reported below). See restrictions for more details.

The Eritrean Coast Guard are a very unprofessional looking group, and often a yacht has mistaken their visit for pirates, or armed robbers. Several times a yacht has raised a MAYDAY, only to realize 30 minutes later that the approaching skiff was legitimate Eritrean authorities.

While yachts are transiting the Red Sea successfully (54 between February and June 2024) there have been several unsettling incidents involving yachts being approached by small skiffs with several men aboard.  See this report for the latest updates.

Red Sea:  Majority of Yachts Completing Successful Transits

Reported Incidents

• April 2020: Red Sea, Eritrea, Massawa: Turkish Circumnavigators Detained by Military 
• September 2019: A sailing yacht (probably moving south through the Red Sea) was boarded approximately 120nm NW of the Northern boundary of the High-Risk Area in position 1629.58N 04008.32E at 15:30 UTC. This sailing yacht called MAYDAY on channel 16, most likely because they mistook Eritrean Coast Guard officials for pirates. This position is Harmil, a military outpost which should not be visited by recreational vessels. Two days later the UKMTO confirmed that the yacht was safe and proceeding to its destination.
• March 2011: Australian skipper and 4 crew detained in Massawa.
• April 1996: British cruising couple held on suspicion of spying. 

Last updated: August 2023