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Dozens of Africans drown trying to reach Yemen

In the early morning light, a young and exhausted Somali woman has just arrived to Yemen seeking refuge from the war which is tearing her country apart Annasofie Flamand/IRIN
    SANA'A

    At least 80 African migrants have drowned in the Gulf of Aden trying to reach Yemen, according to the country's Interior Ministry.



    A ministry statement on 4 January said some 40 Africans, “mostly Ethiopians”, had been confirmed drowned after their boat capsized southeast of Bab al-Mandab Strait. A second boat carrying 40 Ethiopians also capsized near Raas al-Arah off the coast of the southern governorate of Lahj.



    "Boats are usually overloaded. Smugglers cram us aboard their boats like bricks. They don't leave any space for us to move our legs or hands during the trip until we find ourselves forced to relieve ourselves on board," Omar Mohamed, a Somali refugee who arrived in Yemen last month, told IRIN.



    According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), between January and October 2010, some 43,000 people -13,000 Somalis and nearly 30,000 Ethiopians - made the dangerous trip in flimsy boats. "An unknown number perished in the attempt," the agency said.



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    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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