HighLights
  1. India seeks facts on yacht incident off Yemen coast.
  2. 14 Indian nationals reportedly aboard the affected yacht.
  3. Houthi claims Saudi forces targeted the Indian vessel.

India is continuing efforts to establish the facts about an incident involving a yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals off the coast of Yemen. The Indian Embassy in Yemen on Friday said the exact details are not yet available due to the ongoing conflict in the region. The development comes after some Arab media quoted Yemen's Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree as claiming that Saudi forces targeted the Indian yacht near Yuqar Island near the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea.

India Seeks More Details

In its latest statement on X, the Indian Embassy in Yemen said it was trying to gather more information about the incident reported on Thursday. The embassy said it had contacted different parties to establish what happened and would share updates once verified information became available.

"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. 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. @MEAIndia” the Embassy wrote.

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India Assures Help

Earlier, the Indian Embassy had said it was looking into reports of an incident involving 14 Indian nationals aboard a yacht off Yemen's coast. It also assured that all possible help would be provided to ensure their safety and well-being. “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. @MEAIndia” the Embassy stated.

Houthi Claims Saudi Forces Targeted Yacht

The statements came after some Arab media outlets quoted Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree as claiming that Saudi forces had targeted an Indian yacht near Yuqar Island, close to Yemen's coast in the Red Sea. According to the reports, Saree said the yacht was carrying 14 Indian nationals and claimed that Houthi forces were rescuing them. He also said more details would be shared later.

However, the circumstances of the incident have not yet been independently confirmed by Indian authorities. The incident comes amid escalating tensions between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have waged a prolonged campaign against the kingdom. An Indian national was killed and three others injured in two separate attacks on a major airport and an oil field in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Wednesday night that it had received information about an Indian national being injured in the attack on the Shaybah oilfield. The embassy said it was coordinating with Saudi authorities to obtain further details and assured that all necessary assistance would be extended to the injured individual.

ALSO READ: From Oilfields To Airports: How Houthis' Shifting Targets Are Putting Indian Workers At Risk In Saudi Arabia

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