U.N. Aid Chief Confirms "Incident" with Boat Off Yemeni Port

The United Nations aid chief told Reuters on Monday that there had been an "incident" with a U.N. ship being boarded by unknown forces off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah at the weekend, but it was over and the vessel had departed.

Mark Lowcock, U.N. emergency relief coordinator, was asked about reports of the boarding off Hodeihah, held by the Iran-allied Houthi movement. He said: "... there was an incident. We don't know who's responsible, we're investigating and the incident is over."

Asked about a possible Saudi-led coalition ground assault on the port, a lifeline for some 8 million Yemenis being fed by the world body, Lowcock said: "There's no port more important than Hodeidah. So anything which called into question the operation of Hodeidah would be a matter of deepest concern."

Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Kevin Liffey