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Dozens missing after ship sinks off Yemen's coast Yemen ship sinking: 35 rescued off coast
(about 7 hours later)
At least 40 people, including women and children, are missing after a boat sank in the Arabian Sea about 350km (190 nautical miles) south of Yemen. At least 35 of the almost 60 people who were on board a ship that sank in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Yemen have been rescued, officials say.
The cargo vessel had about 60 people on board when it disappeared while sailing from the eastern province of Hadramawt to the remote island of Socotra. The cargo vessel disappeared about 48km (26 nautical miles) north-west of the remote island of Socotra while sailing from the eastern province of Hadramawt.
The government says the ship sank five days ago, but it appears that was only confirmed on Tuesday. The government says the incident took place five days ago, but it appears that it was only confirmed on Tuesday.
At least 19 people had been rescued by Wednesday morning, a minister said. The cause of the disaster is not clear, but a minister said it was an accident.
The cause of the sinking was not immediately clear. The government has asked merchant vessels and warships in the area to help search for survivors, some of whom are believed to have escaped in lifeboats.
Yemeni Fisheries Minister Fahd Kavieen was quoted by the AFP news agency as telling reporters on Wednesday that the ship had been carrying about 60 people. Fisheries Minister Fahd Kavieen wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon that so far 35 people had been rescued.
It was believed to have sunk about 48km (26 nautical miles) north-west of Socotra as a result of an "accident", he said, citing "preliminary information". He was hopeful that more could be found, but warned that the next few hours would be "very critical" and appealed for helicopter support from the Saudi-led coalition backing his government in its war against the Houthi rebel movement.
He added that the government had issued an SOS to merchant vessels and warships in the area asking them to help search for survivors after the sinking was confirmed on Tuesday. Earlier, Mr Kavieen was quoted by the AFP news agency as telling reporters that the ship was believed to have sunk on Friday as a result of an "accident", citing "preliminary information". The government had sent out an SOS after the sinking was confirmed on Tuesday, he added.
The Aden al-Ghad news website quoted a source in the coastguard as saying that he had received a notice from authorities in Hadramawt on Tuesday night that contact with the ship had been lost several hours after it set sail from Mukalla. But the Aden al-Ghad news website quoted a source in the coastguard as saying he had received a notice from authorities in Hadramawt on Tuesday night that contact with the ship had been lost several hours after it set sail from Mukalla.
By Wednesday morning, 19 people had been rescued, according to Mr Kavieen.
"The search is ongoing," he said. "Vessels have been combing the area since the early hours and there is significant hope that the passengers have survived."
Shipping sources earlier told the Reuters news agency that five had been saved.
Socotra, which is home to about 50,000 people, is about 350km (190 nautical miles) south of Yemen and 240km (130 nautical miles) east of Somalia.Socotra, which is home to about 50,000 people, is about 350km (190 nautical miles) south of Yemen and 240km (130 nautical miles) east of Somalia.
Flights between the Yemeni mainland and the island were suspended in March 2015, when the conflict between the government and the Houthi rebel movement escalated and a Saudi-led multinational coalition closed the country's airspace. Flights between the Yemeni mainland and the island were suspended in March 2015, when the conflict between the government and the Houthis escalated and the Saudi-led coalition closed the country's airspace and began carrying out air strikes.
There are no regular ferries, forcing islanders to seek passage on cargo vessels.There are no regular ferries, forcing islanders to seek passage on cargo vessels.