An Indian-flagged cargo vessel overturned and sank in the Red Sea off the western coast of Yemen after being struck by a projectile on Tuesday. There were 14 crew members onboard, including 13 Indians and 1 Yemeni citizen. All the 14 sailors have been saved from the Yemeni forces and were provided with medical care.
The attacked ship, named MSV Faize Noore Oliya, was targeted about 13 nautical miles from Hodeidah Port, a Yemeni city which is presently under the control of Houthis. Following the strike, the Yemeni National Resistance Force, also known as the Guards of the Republic, confirmed that its coastguard and naval units executed a joint operation to pull the crew to safety.
In the wake of the incident, India issued a firm statement strongly condemning the "unprovoked" attack on the defenseless commercial vessel. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, confirmed that the projectile caused the ship to capsize and sink. He noted that instructions had been issued to the Director General Maritime Administration to work alongside regional agencies to safeguard Indian seafarers and assist the rescued crew, adding that all 14 individuals were safely brought ashore to the Port of Mokha.
India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh is actively monitoring developments and coordinating with local authorities to ensure the crew's ongoing safety. New Delhi described the repeated targeting of commercial shipping in the area as "deeply worrisome", calling for an immediate end to such attacks and demanding the swift restoration of free, unimpeded navigation in line with international law.
The incident highlights a growing humanitarian and diplomatic crisis for India, driven by an escalation in missile and drone strikes hitting merchant shipping across key global trade routes. Last month, the Iran-backed Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, intensifying threats to international energy supplies and maritime trade through the Bab el-Mandeb strait—a critical bottleneck linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
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