Sanaa : India on Thursday said it was ascertaining details of an incident involving 14 Indian nationals on board a yacht off the coast of Yemen, assuring all possible assistance to ensure their safety and well-being.
The statement followed claims by Yemen's Houthis that their forces had launched a rescue operation after what they described as 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 in the day, Yemen's Houthis alleged that Saudi Arabia had targeted an Indian yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea, following which their forces initiated a rescue operation.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, citing preliminary information, stated that the Yemeni Armed Forces would share further details as they became available.
"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 latest development comes a day after an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, killed two people, including an Indian national, while two other Indian nationals sustained injuries, according to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh.
India has also strongly condemned the continued attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including the strikes on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field. New Delhi also expressed hope for an early restoration of peace and normalcy in the region.
"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 Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthis have accused Saudi forces of carrying out air and missile strikes across several Yemeni provinces this week.