Seventeen Eritrean fishermen missing in Yemen's territorial water
*Tuesday, 18, December, 2012
Yemen Post Staff
Yemen's coastguard policemen have said that 17 Eritrean fishermen on two
boats were missing off the Hodeida coasts, Yemeni coastguard sources
affirmed. They spelt out the two boats left Yemen on December 13 and that
Eritrean authorities lost contacts with the fishermen, pointing out that the
Yemeni coastguards policemen embarked on looking for them. Meanwhile, a
Yemeni fisherman was shot wounded last Thursday as Eritrean coastguard
forces attacked Yemeni fishermen in coasts of Dubab district, sources told
Marib Press. They said that Eritrean forces confiscated about 20 Yemeni
boats and brutally assaulted Yemeni fishermen. The Eritrean authorities used
to seize Yemeni fishermen and their boats in a case that often raises
tensions between the two neighboring states.
Yemeni fishermen of al-Hodeida governorate have revealed that over 200
fishermen are languishing inside Eritrean jails and about 900 fishing boats
are still seized by Eretria.
Yemeni fishermen staged several demonstrations in last months protesting the
infiltration of foreign launches and boats to the territorial water of
al-Hodeida.
They repeatedly called on the Yemeni government to shoulder its
responsibility and protect its citizens against the frequent attack by
Eritrea.
Yemeni fishermen have many times complained about harassment and
difficulties they face while fishing in Yemeni and international water,
asserting that Eritrea keeps targeting Yemeni fishermen and takes advantage
of the weak dysfunctional Yemeni navy.
Additionally, Somali pirates continuously kidnap Yemeni fishing boats and
that poses a big challenged to Yemeni fishermen.
