Yemen’s coastguard says alleged strikes by the Houthi rebels on a cargo vessel killed at least six people near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off the country’s southern coast, AFP reports.

The coastguard from Yemen’s internationally recognised government said four sailors aboard the cargo vessel — identified as the “Tihamah” — were among the dead along with two members of the forces deployed during a rescue mission to evacuate the ship.

The initial salvo targeting the ship “caused a fire to break out aboard the vessel and inflicted extensive damage, in addition to causing deaths and injuries among its crew, including three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national killed,” the coastguard said in a statement.

A second strike targeted the vessel as rescue workers carried out a mission to evacuate the ship.

“The attack struck the site of the rescue operation and resulted in deaths and injuries among the forces participating in the response operation,” the coast guard added, saying 10 people were injured over the course of the strikes.