At least 34 people drowned after being forced into deep water as they were smuggled across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia into Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said Tuesday. The incident brings to 200 the number of people known to have died this year during the crossing. Last year 330 people were killed out of 26,000 who undertook the perilous journey to escape conflict and poverty, dpa reported. Survivors said they were in three boats carrying 365 people, including 234 Ethiopians and 131 Somalis. Yemeni authorities fired on the first two boats as they dropped people off near the coast near Bir Ali on Friday. Up to 22 people died when they were later forced into deeper water. Another 12 drowned when the third boat forced its passengers overboard far from shore. Passengers told the UNHCR they had been beaten during the two day voyage from the Bosaso region of Somalia and at least two Ethiopian men had jumped overboard unable to endure the mistreatment.
