Thursday, September 11, 2008
The UNHCR said in a statement received here on Thursday that several others were still missing as smuggling resumed earlier than usual due to calmer weather in the Gulf of Aden.
"Survivors said the boat carrying about 120 people stopped offshore in deep water on Tuesday and all passengers were forced overboard at gunpoint," said the UN agency.
"They said those who refused were pushed and beaten. Some were killed. Survivors said they had earlier been assured by the smugglers that a smaller vessel would take them ashore, but none arrived."
According to UNHCR, at least 74 survivors made it to the beach and were taken to UNHCR's reception center at Ahwar. Authorities said Wednesday morning that 26 bodies had so far been recovered and 20 others were still missing, UNHCR said.
So far this year, UNHCR said, at least 25,859 people have arrived in Yemen after making the perilous voyage aboard smugglers' boats. More than 200 have died and at least 225 remain missing. At the same time last year, there were 9,153 arrivals, 267 dead and 118 missing.
Smuggling normally subsides between May and September because of stormy weather in the Gulf of Aden. With the early onset of calmer weather in August, smuggling resumed last month when 59 boats brought more than 1,700 desperate people to Yemen, nearly tripling the number of arrivals for the same month last year when 633 people landed in 10 boats.
The UN agency, which has been calling for global action to better address the problem, has stepped up its efforts in Yemen over the past year.
A 18.9 million U.S. dollar program is providing more staff, improved humanitarian assistance, additional shelter for refugees in Kharaz refugee camp, and training programs for Yemeni coast guards and other officials.
Late in August, 12 people died from one boat after jumping into the sea when a gun battle erupted between the Yemeni military and smugglers near the coast.
Source: Xinhua, Sept 11, 2008