United Nations Radio

Twenty people have drowned and two are missing after trying to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

The agency says those who drowned are among 115 passengers, mainly Ethiopians, who were being smuggled by boat to Yemen on Monday.

The agency says the victims drowned after smugglers forced them to jump overboard in deep water.

The rest of the more than 90 passengers made it to shore after being forced overboard near the town of Ahwar about 200 kilometres east of the Yemeni port of Aden.

UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond says the dead were buried in a cemetery donated by the Government of Yemen and the survivors transferred to the agency's reception centre in Ahwar:

"UNHCR staff said the survivors were sick and exhausted from the trauma of the voyage and had not yet been interviewed in detail. Survivors said a second boat that was carrying 55 passengers arrived about the same time yesterday, but there were no incidents reported on that vessel."

The UN refugee agency says more than 40,000 people, mainly Somalis, in over 850 smuggling boats have arrived in Yemen so far this year.

Close to 400 have died and more than 300 are missing.

Diane Bailey, United Nations.

(duration: 1'23")