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Migrants 'feared dead' off Yemen Migrants 'feared dead' off Yemen
(10 minutes later)
The UN refugee agency says it fears about 100 migrants have drowned after being thrown overboard by smugglers in the Gulf of Aden. About 100 migrants are feared to have drowned after being thrown overboard by smugglers in the Gulf of Aden, the UN refugee agency says.
The migrants were attempting to flee to Yemen from war-torn Somalia but were forced off the boat about 5km (3 miles) from the coast, a UN official said.The migrants were attempting to flee to Yemen from war-torn Somalia but were forced off the boat about 5km (3 miles) from the coast, a UN official said.
About 47 migrants managed to swim to shore and alert the authorities.About 47 migrants managed to swim to shore and alert the authorities.
The UN says about 32,000 people have made the perilous crossing to Yemen this year, and 365 have gone missing.The UN says about 32,000 people have made the perilous crossing to Yemen this year, and 365 have gone missing.
The boat had left the Somalia port of Marera on Monday with 150 people on board, according to Ron Redmond, a spokesman for UNHCR.
"Survivors said they counted a total of 47 people reaching the beach and later saw Yemeni authorities burying five bodies," Mr Redmond said at a press conference.
UNHCR estimates that in addition to those missing, at least 230 people have died attempting the crossing this year.
Last month, the agency said that despite the burden on the Yemeni authorities, they were still maintaining an open door policy towards refugees.
But they said that global action was needed to tackle the problem.
Somalia has experienced almost constant civil conflict since the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's regime in January 1991.
Islamist militants are currently fighting government and Ethiopian troops, with frequent bombings and shelling in the capital, Mogadishu