Coast guards seize 69 illegal immigrants [Archives:2006/966/Local News]

AL-MAHRAH, July 23 ) Yemeni coast guards seized a ship loaded with 69 illegal immigrants from Somalia off the coast of Al-Mahrah governorate. The ship was attempting to traffic the Somalis into Yemeni territory.

“The ship, which belongs to a Yemeni national and is named 'Amwaj', the English equivalent of which is 'waves', was held in the area of Qishen,” 26 September Net quoted a security source as saying.

The same source indicated that the ship owner is still being investigated while the illegal immigrants have been transferred to the refugee camp in the area of Maifa'a.

The coast guards caught 53 Somalis earlier last week over two attempts. 12 of the illegal immigrants were caught in the first attempt after a small boat transported them to Saihout Coast while 41 others were arrested in the second attempt in the area of Heswain.

The recent violence in the Somali capital city of Mogadishu has helped increase the number of Somali refugees fleeing to Yemen in search of safer living over the past few days.

One hundred and fifty refugees including women and children have drowned in the sea over the past few months after their boats sank.
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