Saudi-led coalition blamed for attack on refugee boat near

An attack on a boat carrying refugees off the coast of war-torn Yemen in March was almost certainly carried out by the Saudi-led coalition, according to a confidential UN report seen by AFP.

A helicopter opened fire on the vessel carrying over 140 passengers, killing 42 civilians and wounding 34, in an attack the report said was a violation of international humanitarian law.

"This civilian vessel was almost certainly attacked using a 7.62mm caliber weapon from an armed utility helicopter," said the report by the UN panel of experts presented to the council this week.

"The Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces are the only parties to the conflict that have the capability to operate armed utility helicopters in the area."

The helicopter was most likely operating from a naval vessel deployed by the coalition backing Yemen's government.

The coalition has denied that its forces were operating in the area of Hodeida when the vessel carrying Somali refugees in the Red Sea came under attack.

Major General Ahmed Assiri, spokesman for the coalition, dismissed the accusation and then told

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)