A boat carrying 27 passengers capsized in the Red Sea off the coast of northwest Yemen, killing 21 people, mostly women and children, on Tuesday, according to local official Akram al-Ahdal. The accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon off the Alluheyah district in the northern part of Hodeidah port city.
The passengers, who were all local villagers, were on their way from Alluheyah to Kamaran Island, the largest Yemeni island in the Red Sea, to attend a wedding ceremony of a relative, the official said. The fatalities included 12 women, seven children, and two men. Six people survived the accident and were taken to Al-Thawra Hospital in the city of Hodeidah to receive first aid.
The official revealed that the accident was probably caused by a strong wind. Kamaran Island and Hodeidah port have been under the control of the Houthi rebels since October 2014. Accidents in Yemeni waters are common due to the lack of safety measures and the overloading of boats beyond their capacity.