The Indian Embassy in Yemen is contacting different parties to establish the facts surrounding an incident off the Yemeni coast involving a yacht that reportedly carried Indian nationals, amid escalating hostilities in the region.
Some Arab media on Thursday quoted Yemen's Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree as claiming that Saudi forces targeted the Indian yacht near Yuqar Island in the Red Sea. Saree said the yacht was carrying 14 Indian nationals and that Houthi forces were rescuing them. He said more details would be provided later.
"We are continuing to make efforts to find more details about the incident off the coast of Yemen on October 22 in which apparently there were Indian nationals (sailors) on board a yacht," the Indian mission posted on social media on Friday.
The embassy said the prevailing conflict situation had made it difficult to obtain precise information about the incident.
"Given the prevailing conflict situation exact information is not currently available. We have reached out to different parties to establish circumstances and facts of the incident and hope to update as soon as authentic information becomes available," the mission said.
On Thursday, the Indian Embassy said it was ascertaining details about the incident involving 14 Indian nationals on board a yacht off the coast of Yemen and would provide all possible assistance to ensure their safety.
"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," it posted on social media on Thursday.
The incident comes amid an escalation of hostilities between Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides targeting each other's facilities and infrastructure.
Separately, an Indian national was killed and three others were injured in two attacks on a major airport and an oil field in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.