A ship carrying almost 60 people off the coast of Yemen sank while on its way to Hadramaut province, the country’s fisheries minister said Wednesday.

So far, only four people were rescued, two were found on a life boat and two others on board a Spanish ship that found them in the sea.

The boat went missing Tuesday while heading from Yemen’s southeastern port city of Mukalla towards Socotra with some 60 people on board, Fisheries Minister Fahd Kavieen said.

He said 47 passengers, including children, and several crew members were aboard the fiberglass vessel. 

The ship was also carrying 25 life boats, he said, expecting more people to be found on board of these boats.

No other details about what happened to the ship or those aboard were immediately available. 

The Yemeni authorities asked the Arab coalition command to help in the search and rescue operation.

Source: MENA