New Delhi, Oct 22 — India on Thursday said it was ascertaining details of an incident involving 14 Indian nationals on board a yacht off the coast of Yemen and would extend all possible help to ensure their safety, hours after Yemen’s Houthis claimed their forces were rescuing them following what they called a Saudi attack on the vessel.
“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 of India in Yemen posted on X.
Earlier on Thursday, Yemen’s Houthis claimed that their forces engaged in a rescue operation after Saudi Arabia targeted an Indian yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea.
Citing preliminary information, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said that the Yemeni Armed Forces would provide more details later.
“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 had posted on X.
The claim came a day after an Indian national was among two people killed, while two other Indian nationals were injured, in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s Dammam on Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said.
India on Thursday condemned the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including the attack on King Fahd International Airport and Aramco’s Shaybah oil field, while expressing hope that peace and normalcy would return to the region at the earliest.
“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,” the MEA said in a statement.
The Houthis, for their part, have accused the Saudi forces of carrying out air and missile strikes across Yemeni provinces this week.