More than 30 people were missing off the Yemeni island of Socotra on Wednesday (December 7th) after a cargo vessel carrying islanders home from the mainland sank in the Indian Ocean, AFP reported.
At least 26 passengers were rescued from the water after a major search operation in the early hours, President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi said in a statement.
The ship sank north-west of Socotra, around 350 kilometres from Yemen's south coast.
Hadi called for "doubling efforts to broaden rescue operations to reduce the scope of the catastrophe that has struck the inhabitants of Socotra".
"Sixty people, including women and children, were aboard the vessel, which was also carrying small fishing boats," said Yemeni Minister of Fish Wealth Fahd Kavieen.
The government said UAE jets were assisting search and rescue operations alongside Yemeni coastguards as well as two ships from Australia and Austria.
Kavieen said the ship had been out of contact for several days and its sinking was confirmed on Tuesday.
"Vessels have been combing the area since the early hours and there is significant hope that the passengers have survived," he said.
