SANAA, Dec 18: The bodies of 56 illegal immigrants, mostly from Somalia and Ethiopia, have been found on the south coast of Yemen, the official SABA news agency reported on Tuesday.It said the bodies of the shipwreck victims, washed up overnight on Sunday, had been retrieved by members of the Doctors Without Borders aid organisation.

According to other migrants who reached Yemen safely, 40 women and five children, including an eight-month-old baby, were among 148 illegal immigrants on the vessel which capsized off Yemen during the night.

Many of the passengers, who were being beaten to force them to jump into the water and lighten the load, rushed to one side in an effort to escape, capsizing the vessel, they said.—AFP