Tuesday April 10, 2007
GENEVA, April 10 (UPI) -- The number of drowning deaths of those trying to flee Somalia is increasing, says the U.N. refugee agency.
The number of deaths in the region has grown during the annual smuggling operations, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Tuesday. The organization said the operations are run by corrupt individuals known for beating, robbing and drowning Somalis and Ethiopians fleeing civil war or drought for Yemen.
At least 34 people fleeing Somalia drowned over the weekend trying to reach the Yemeni coast after being forced overboard by their smugglers, said UNHCR. The most recent drowning incident occurred Friday when three smuggling boats approached the Yemeni coast near Bir Ali following a two-day journey from the Bosaso region of Somalia.
Since the beginning of 2007, more than 5,600 people arrived on the Yemeni coast and at least 200 people have died.
"Witnesses and survivors said two of the boats had begun dropping their passengers off near shore when they reportedly came under fire from Yemeni authorities and moved back out to sea," UNHCR spokesman Rod Redmond said in Geneva.
Although no one appeared to have been injured during the shooting, 22 people were later forced into deeper water, where they drowned, said UNHCR.
A third boat later forced its passengers overboard far from shore and another 12 people drowned. "Passengers aboard the third boat said they were beaten throughout the voyage from Somalia and that at least two Ethiopian men unable to endure the mistreatment jumped overboard," said Redmond.
The three boats that arrived Friday carried 365 people, including 234 Ethiopians and 131 Somalis, said UNHCR. Three more boats arrived Sunday carrying 270 Somalis and Ethiopians. All were believed to have reached shore safely.
Source: UPI, April 10, 2007