Indian Ship Sinks Off Yemen Coast, Crew Rescued

By Staff, Agencies

An Indian cargo ship sank near Yemeni waters after an attack in the Red Sea, with all 14 crew members rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard, India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said Tuesday.

The vessel, identified as the Faize Noore Oliya, was struck by a projectile near Yemeni waters, causing it to capsize and sink, according to Sonowal.

India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya was hit by a projectile near Yemeni waters and sank, with all 14 crew members rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard.

Earlier on Tuesday, Yemeni news portal HYemen24 reported that the Yemeni Coast Guard of the Saudi-affiliated Yemeni government had rescued the crew of an Indian cargo ship after it came under attack by a booby-trapped boat in the Red Sea.

The rescued crew members were taken to the port of Mocha, according to the Indian minister.

Sonowal said he had instructed the Director General Maritime Administration [DGMA] to coordinate with relevant agencies and take immediate measures to ensure the security of Indian seafarers operating in the region.

“I have instructed the Director General Maritime Administration [DGMA] to take immediate steps in coordination with all agencies to ensure the absolute security of Indian seafarers in the region and provide all necessary assistance to the rescued crew,” he said.

According to the vessel tracking application MarineTraffic, the Faize Noore Oliya is a cargo ship. Indian authorities have not provided further details regarding the circumstances of the attack.

This came as "Israeli" security and intelligence circles are closely tracking an Egyptian naval buildup in the southern Red Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

"Nziv", an "Israeli" open-source intelligence platform, reported that Egypt is reinforcing its naval footprint in the area. The platform, however, did not publish images or official figures detailing the number of vessels involved, how they are being deployed, or their exact positions.

The reported Egyptian movements follow Saudi Arabia's announcement of a multinational naval coalition intended to protect freedom of navigation, trade routes, and energy supplies across the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and the Gulf of Aden.

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said representatives from 43 countries and the European Union took part in talks on forming the coalition, and that 14 countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Sudan, and Djibouti, have already voiced support for the initiative.