A ship loaded with diesel that sank off Yemen’s southern coast on Sunday has wreaked heavy environmental damage in the area, according to local reports and videos shared on social media.

The ship, owned by Overseas Freight Company, was described as being in a "dilapidated" state, Al-Ain news website said.

The vessel sank off Al-Bureiqah in the Aden governorate, covering the shores in tar and a spill extending several kilometres east, according to local media.

Yemeni Transport Minister Abdel Salam Hamid instructed the government to assess the damage caused by the shipwreck and take the necessary measures, ordering the owner of the ship to be summoned for investigation.

-Agencies