8 Yemeni students drown in Hodeidah

Eight Yemeni students  died and 13 others were rushed to a hospital in Hodeidah on Sunday March, 29. The victims were with 56 of their colleagues from the second level of the College for Physical Education at the University of Hodeidah when they drowned as a result of a sudden undertow. The class was at the beach adjacent to the university for a course training them to teach swimming to students.  

Yemen’s Minister of Higher Education Saleh Ba Surrah has formed a special commission to investigate the incident. The commission includes a number of ministry staff, several representatives from Hodeidah’s local authorities and other concerned bodies.   Following the incident, a large number of Hodeidah citizens flocked to the site of the accident, where they expressed their anger and demanded a full-account from university officials, who they hold responsible for the students’ deaths.
 
Several opposition websites have quoted security sources as saying they had warned university officials against any training in the sea this week due to unfavorable conditions.  Angry citizens have blamed university officials for not providing training pools at the college, which is Yemen’s only college for physical education training.  

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