Ferry carrying 300 refugees capsizes in Re Sea
The Source: www.sabanews.net - 18/1/2009
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A ferry with about 300 displaced Somalis on board has capsized in the
Bab El-Mandab strait which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean via
the Gulf of Aden, the Interior Ministry has said.
The
security information center cited coastguards in Aden province as
saying a number of those who were aboard the ship swam to the coast of
al-Makha but many are still missing.
Rescue operations have started in search for survivors, coastguards said, with many are feared dead.
Security
forces in the coastal area of Thubab in the province of al-Makhasaid
they have seized 32 Ethiopians, half of whom were women, along with 9
Somali immigrants as an unidentified ship discharged them at the coast.
One of the immigrants died.
Furthermore, six Ethiopians
were also held at the Nasrin area in the northern province of Saada
while they were trying to illegally enter Saudi territories. They are
being investigated.
Many Somali arrive in Yemen, almost in daily numbers, fleeing deteriorating conditions in their country.
Last figures suggest the number of Somali refugees who have arrived in Yemen since 1991 has reached 800.000.
Somalia
has been without a central government since 1991 when the then
president was deposed. The country has been in civil conflict with
millions of Somali people immigrating to various countries.
Instability in Somalia is one of the main reasons for piracy which has become a growing concern for many countries.
In
response to the soaring phenomenon threatening one of the world's
busiest waterways where 20.000 ships and vessels pass a year, many
countries including Russia have sent naval ships to the Indian Ocean to
conduct anti-pirate patrols in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia's
coast.
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