VOA标准英语2008年-Chaos in Somalia Leads to Tragedy in Gulf of Ad（在线收听）

UNHCR reports at least 52 Somalis died when the boat smuggling them across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen broke down, leaving them adrift with no food or water for 18 days. The UNHCR says this latest tragedy coincides with a recent upsurge in people smuggling across the Gulf of Aden. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.

According to the U.N. refugee agency, survivors say the boat left Marera on the Somali coast with at least 124 passengers on September 3 and the engine stopped several hours into the voyage.

The survivors report knife-wielding smugglers told passengers they would travel to the Somali city of Bossaso in a smaller boat to re-charge a battery and then return. UNHCR spokesman, Ron Redmond, says the smugglers abandoned them.

"And, the passengers were left to drift for 18 days without food or water. During the voyage, 38 men and 10 women died. The survivors said their bodies were thrown overboard in the Gulf of Aden," Redmond added. "When they finally did reach the coast, three of the survivors jumped into the water off shore to swim to the beach to alert authorities that the boat was out there. One of those who jumped overboard did not make it, is missing and feared drowned."

The UNHCR reports a sharp increase in the number of people being smuggled across the Gulf of Aden. It says more than 31,000 have arrived in Yemen so far this year.

That includes more than 21,000 Somalis and nearly 10,000 Ethiopians. The UNHCR says around 230 people have died while making the perilous voyage and more than 260 are missing.

Redmond tells VOA the brutality of the smugglers is well known as are the dangers of voyaging on rickety, overcrowded vessels. Nevertheless, he says the situation in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia, is so bad they are willing to risk their lives to escape.

"A lot of the Somalis who reach Yemen tell us that they have nothing left to lose," he said. "That they see no hope for the future, that the conflict in Somalia has gone on for so long that they see no future for themselves and they see no future for their children. So, they take this enormous risk and many of them have died. Hundreds and hundreds have died and many hundreds are also missing."

Redmond admits there is a limit to what the international community can do to stop this deadly traffic. Until there is a political solution to the nearly two-decade-old conflict in Somalia, he says these tragedies will continue.