简介：ThousandsofpeoplerisktheirliveseveryyeartocrosstheGulfofAdentoescapefromconflict,violence,droughtandpoverty.During2007,almost30,000tookthedangerousvoyagetoseekrelativesafetyinYemen.DuetotheescalationoftheconflictinSomaliaandthefoodcrisisinpartsoftheHornofAfrica,moreandmorepeoplearejoiningthealreadylargerefugeeandmigrantpopulationinYemen.Duringthefirstfivemonthsof2008over20,000arrived,morethandoublethenumberofarrivalsinthesameperiodlastyear. Theboattripisfraughtwithdanger;thesmugglersarenotoriousfortheirbrutality.Fatalityratesareveryhigh;for2007,itisestimatedthatatleast5%ofthosesettingoutonthedangerousjourneydidnotreachtheshoresofYemenalive.Peoplearriveexhausted,manyofthemillandemotionallyshattered.TheytoldMSFharrowingstoriesofdeathandsurvival.Boatsdesignedtocarry30to40peopleatthemostarepackedwithover100passengers,manyofthemstuckinsmallwindowlessstorageplacesinthehold.Peopleareforcedtositinthesamepositionwithoutmovingandare,inthelargemajorityofcases,deprivedoffoodandwater. Conditionsaresoharshthatdeathsduringthetripwereconfirmedfromonethirdoftheboats.Themaincauseswereseverebeatings,lackoffoodandwaterandsuffocationfrombeingintheholdoftheboats.Severalintervieweesalsoreportedcaseswherethesmugglersthrewpassengers,includingyoungchildren,overboard.Alsocasesofsuicidewerereportedwherepassengersjumpedshipoutofdesperationandfear. ArrivalontheYemenishoresisexceedinglyhazardous,asthesmugglerstakeextrememeasurestoavoidbeingdetectedbytheYemenisecurityforces.Themajorityoftheboatsdon’tcomeclosetotheshoreandpeopleareforcedtodisembarkindeepwater.Asmanypeoplecannotswim,deathsfromdrowningarefrequent. Themajorityofthosecrossingwereawareoftherisks,buttoldMSFthattheyhadnochoice.Forthemtakingthedangeroustripdoesnotconstituteanoptionamongseveral,buttheironlysurvivalstrategytoescapeviolenceanddestitution.…