Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross is profoundly saddened that three of our colleagues were among those killed in Aden’s airport explosion earlier today.

Our staff were transiting through the airport with other civilians when the explosion occurred. Three were injured, including one seriously.

“This is a tragic day for the ICRC and for the people of Yemen,” said Dominik Stillhart, ICRC’s director of operations. “The Yemeni people have endured a terrible amount of suffering over the last five years. A day like this adds even more grief both for the Red Cross family and for the Yemeni families who had loved ones killed or injured in this explosion.”

One ICRC staff member killed in the blast was a Yemeni citizen who helped coordinate ICRC’s air transport activities, which included overseeing the transport home of more than 1,000 former detainees in October. The second staff member was a Rwandan national who helped those in need as an x-ray technician on our medical team. The third staff member was a Yemeni health officer in an ICRC-supported hospital who had been pursuing his Ph.D. in the field of medicine.

“The deaths and injuries caused by the blast are a heavy blow for many families,” said Katharina Ritz, ICRC’s head of delegation in Yemen. “We extend our sincere condolences to the families of all victims, and we hope for a speedy recovery for anyone injured. Yemen has endured many difficult days; we hope for a brighter one tomorrow.”