Migrants Drown Off Somali Coast

Some 65 migrants are feared to have died this week, trying to cross from Somalia to Yemen, the UN has said.

Sixteen deaths have been confirmed, while 49 people are missing feared drowned in three separate incidents.

Eleven people suffocated, while three were beaten to death by people smugglers.

Hundreds of Africans gets drown each year, trying to reach Yemen in crowded and often unseaworthy boats.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said people smugglers were now using larger vessels 'which puts more lives at risk'.

It says some 860 boats carrying 43,586 people have tried to cross the Gulf of Aden so far this year.

Some 273 people have drowned or are presumed dead, it said.

Meanwhile, Somali pirates have released a Greek-owned ship hijacked five months ago and freed its 21 Filipino crew members, officials and pirates have said.

'The MV Irene is free. All 21 crew are safe and sound,' maritime official Andrew Mwangura told AFP news agency.

Reuters news agency cited a pirate as saying the hijackers acted after receiving a ransom of $2million (£1.2million).

Pirate attacks have been common off the Somali coast, and international navies have been deployed to counter them.

Somalia has been without a functioning central government since 1991, allowing the pirates to operate in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

The pirate who confirmed to Reuters that the MV Irene had been released last Monday was speaking from the coastal pirate stronghold of Eyl and gave his name as Hussein.

'We already left the vessel and now we are dividing our money,' he said. 'A helicopter brought the cash this morning.'

— BBC