India Seeks Details on Incident Involving 14 Nationals Aboard Yacht Off Yemen Coast
NEW DELHI — India said Thursday it was investigating reports of an incident involving 14 Indian nationals aboard a yacht off the coast of Yemen and pledged to provide assistance to ensure their safety, following claims by Yemen’s Houthi forces that the vessel had been attacked by Saudi Arabia.
The Indian Embassy in Yemen said authorities were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, which reportedly occurred near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea.
“We have seen reports regarding an incident involving 14 Indian nationals on board a yacht off the coast of Yemen today. We are ascertaining further details about the incident and will provide all possible help for ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian nationals,” the embassy said in a statement posted on X.
Earlier Thursday, Yemen’s Houthis claimed that Saudi forces had targeted the yacht and that Houthi personnel were conducting an operation to rescue those aboard.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said preliminary reports indicated that all 14 people on the vessel were Indian citizens. He accused Saudi Arabia of endangering maritime traffic in the strategically important Red Sea corridor.
“The Saudi enemy is targeting an Indian yacht near Zuqar Island, carrying 14 people of Indian nationality, according to preliminary information. The Yemeni Armed Forces are rescuing them and will provide more details later. This reckless act by the Saudi enemy in targeting it threatens international navigation in the Red Sea, and the international community must stop the Saudi enemy from these reckless actions,” Saree wrote on X.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of the Houthis’ allegations or the circumstances surrounding the reported incident.
The development came amid escalating regional tensions and a series of attacks affecting civilian infrastructure and Indian nationals in the Middle East.
On Wednesday, an Indian citizen was among two people killed in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Two other Indian nationals were injured, according to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh.
India condemned the attacks on Thursday, expressing concern over the targeting of civilian facilities and critical energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
“We strongly condemn the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province on October 21. These attacks have unfortunately resulted in civilian deaths and injuries,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
New Delhi also expressed hope for an early restoration of peace and stability in the region.
Meanwhile, Houthi representatives have accused Saudi forces of conducting air and missile strikes across several Yemeni provinces this week.
The competing allegations have added to concerns about maritime security in the Red Sea, a major international shipping route connecting Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Indian officials have not confirmed whether the yacht was attacked or provided further details about the condition of the 14 Indian nationals reportedly aboard the vessel. (Source: IANS)
