21 people died when a boat carrying 27 passengers capsized in the Red Sea off the coast of northwestern Yemen on Tuesday.
Local officials told the media that most of the boats were women and children. The accident happened on Tuesday afternoon in the Alluheyah district, north of Hodeidah port city.
The passengers, who were all local villagers, were traveling from Alluheyah to Kamaran Island, the largest Yemeni island in the Red Sea, to attend a relative’s wedding ceremony, the official said.
Among the dead are 12 women, seven children and two men, as per local media.
Six people survived the accident and were taken to Al-Thawra Hospital in Hodeidah city for first aid, according to the media.
Officials said that the accident may have been due to strong winds. Kamran Island and the port of Hodeidah have been under the control of Houthi rebels since October 2014. Accidents in Yemen’s waters are common due to lack of safety measures and the overcapacity of boats.
