The coalition, which intervened in the Yemen conflict in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, controls the airspace over Yemen and can prevent any flights made without prior permission.

Aviation sources said the flight was prevented from taking off from Djibouti to Sanaa because three BBC journalists were on it.

A United Nations spokesman confirmed the report.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen prevented a UN flight carrying aid agency staff from traveling to the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on Tuesday because three international journalists were also aboard, aviation sources said.