At least 33 Somali smugglers die in the Gulf of Aden [Archives:2006/925/Local News]
ADEN, Feb. 29 ) According to the UN Refugee Agency, at least 33 migrants trying to reach Yemen have drowned in the Gulf of Aden. They were Somalis and Ethopians trying to cross the Gulf of Aden. Smugglers reportedly forced 137 men, women and children into deep waters off Yemen's coast, killing at least 33. Approximately 30 remain missing.
“The latest tragic incident once again highlights the urgent need for joint international and local efforts to address this problem and minimize the flow of desperate people who fall victim to ruthless smugglers,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told media.
On Monday evening, 84 migrants safely reached Yemen's coast, while 33 others were found dead on the Hodeidah coast. “Another 30 passengers, including children, still are missing and we fear their chances of survival are now extremely slim,” Pagonis said. “Our team in Aden is taking care of the survivors, giving them medical care, food and non-food items,” she added.
According to UNHCR in Aden, a boat sailing from Somalia forced all 137 passengers, three of them Ethiopians, into deep waters off Yemen's coast before turning around and heading back to Somalia. Some of the migrants reached the shore, but others still are missing. UNHCR said it learned of the tragedy on Saturday, but it was unclear when the incident actually occurred.
Despite the dangers, smugglers still find many migrants wanting to immigrate via smuggling. Between January 12 and 17 alone, 22 boats carrying unknown numbers of Somalis and Ethiopians arrived in Yemen. Of those, UNHCR recorded 1,217 Somalis and 39 Ethiopians. On January 16, a boat carrying 65 people and six dead bodies arrived in Yemen. Another 14 people died on the journey.
UNHCR has been working with authorities in Puntland in northeastern Somalia to inform people about the dangers of using smugglers. In January, it produced a video to raise awareness among Somalis and Ethiopians of the risks involved and now is working on a radio program in local languages to reach more people.
In the latest among a series of appeals the agency has issued in recent months, Pagonis said, “At the same time, we also are calling on donors to support the international community in its efforts to improve protection and assistance to internally displaced persons in Puntland who live in very difficult circumstances.” She added, “Without addressing the root causes of the outflow, progress in stemming the smuggling will be extremely limited.”
Thousands of Somalis, many escaping violence in their homeland, arrive in Yemen every year. It is estimated that 100 people arrive daily during the annual September to March period of good sailing conditions. Smugglers often beat migrants or force them overboard while still far from shore, sometimes with their hands tied behind their backs, leaving them to the mercy of the sea.
UNHCR has praised Yemen as the exception among Gulf countries in having signed the 1951 Refugee Convention.
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