ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni local authority in Socotra Island announced Saturday that a ferry carrying an estimated 55 people went missing on the Indian Ocean off the country's eastern coast.
Socotra's local authority said in a statement released by the state-run Saba News Agency that "we received a report today (Saturday) that a ferry went missing after leaving the port of Mahrah towards Socotra Island with 55 people on board."
An official of the local authority in Socotra said that "we made necessary communications with the Saudi-led coalition after receiving the information about the ferry that went missing and a search and rescue operation was launched."
The Yemeni official named as Raed Huraibi said that the ferry that's owned by a local trader left the country's province of Mahrah on Wednesday but failed to arrive on time.
Military units of the Saudi-led Arab coalition have a presence in Yemen's eastern provinces including Mahrah in an attempt to enhance security and combat smuggling operations.
Other Yemeni security units backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are present in the country's Island of Socotra.
Socotra is a UNESCO world natural heritage site protected by the UN body for its unique flora and fauna.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia led a military coalition to intervene in Yemen's civil war in 2015 to restore the government of President Hadi.
