Deaths on Gulf of Aden crossing soar

More than a hundred migrants have died so far this year trying to make the dangerous journey across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday, urging government action to stop the death toll rising further.

The UNHCR said at least 113 people died during January and February, with over 200 more missing and presumed dead.

The agency said close to 9,000 people had attempted to make the crossing during the first two months of the year.

Last year around 3,000 people crossed the sea in January and February, with 139 losing their lives and 19 missing, it said.

The UNHCR attributed the surge in crossings this year to the use of new smuggling routes. It said smugglers have started bringing people across the Red Sea from Djibouti, as well as the more traditional route from Somalia.

Migrants pay on average between $130 and $150 to travel on small, fast boats, while those making the journey on crowded, bigger vessels spend between $50 and $70. The voyage can take from 12 to 36 hours.

“The armed smugglers are often brutal,” UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond said in a statement.

“The new arrivals told us that the smugglers had severely beaten the passengers on the boat and taken their money and clothes by force.

"One person - severely traumatised by the beating - jumped overboard and drowned.”

The agency said it has been appealing for greater efforts to prevent deaths in the Gulf of Aden and other bodies of water.

Since last year, it has stepped up its work in Yemen as part of a $7 million operation by providing extra staff and more shelter for refugees.

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