The marines are said to be on board the support ship RFA Fort Victoria, according to the BBC.
The Fort Victoria is part of the navy’s response force task group which has been conducting a series of exercises in the Mediterranean.
The helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, which has been used as a launch pad for Apache attack helicopters engaged in operations in Libya, is part of the same group.
The auxiliary landing vessel RFA Cardigan Bay was also heading for Yemen where it will replace another support vessel, RFA Argus, the report added.
The Ministry of Defence said: ‘As part of routine deployment, UK military assets are in the region. Although we are not prepared to comment further on their exact operational tasking.’ Britons in Yemen have been urged by the Foreign Office to leave while commercial flights are still operating.
Foreign secretary William Hague warned at the weekend it was ‘extremely unlikely’ Britain would be able to stage an evacuation and remaining nationals should not ‘plan for or expect’ Government assistance.
Meanwhile, at least 15 people were killed in fighting yesterday around the southern city of Zinjibar.
Clashes in Taiz were reported to have killed four people, including three children, who were said to have been killed by a tank shell.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh is in Saudi Arabia recovering from surgery on wounds suffered in an attack on his palace in the capital Sanaa.
The US has urged him to stand down as more than 350 have people died in protests against his 33-year rule.
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