Statement by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General on the attack on the Sana’a airport, Yemen

Our mission to negotiate the release of the United Nations staff detainees and to assess the health and humanitarian situation in Yemen concluded today. We continue to call for the detainees’ immediate release.  As we were about to board our flight from Sana’a, about three hours ago (around 5 pm local time), the airport came under aerial bombardment.  One of our plane’s crew members was injured.  At least two people were reported killed at the airport.  The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged.  We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave. My UN and WHO colleagues and I are safe. Our heartfelt condolences to the families whose loved ones lost their lives in the attack.