19 Indian sailors stranded in Yemen evacuated, embassy says

“All seafarers are safe, sound and on their way back to India. The Embassy sincerely thanks all concerned for their valuable cooperation and continued support in facilitating the safe evacuation of our Indian nationals,” the Indian Embassy in Yemen said. Image: X/@IndiaInYemen

Nineteen Indian sailors stranded in Yemen’s Hodeidah and Sana’a over the past two weeks have been evacuated, with all of them safe and on their way back to their country, the Indian embassy in Yemen said on Sunday (Nov 8, 2026).

“All sailors are safe, well and on their way back to India. The Embassy sincerely thanks all concerned for their valuable cooperation and continued support in facilitating the safe evacuation of our Indian nationals,” the mission said in a post on X.

Also read | All 14 Indians reported safe in yacht incident off Yemen coast: Embassy

The Embassy of India in Yemen has successfully evacuated 19 Indian sailors stranded in Hodeidah and Sana’a (Yemen) in the last two weeks. All sailors are safe, in good health and on their way back to India. The Embassy sincerely thanks all concerned for their valuable cooperation and continued support in facilitating the safe evacuation of our Indian nationals. @MEEAIndia

— India in Yemen (@IndiaInYemen) November 8, 2026

The evacuation comes days after India said 14 Indian nationals aboard a yacht involved in an incident off the coast of Yemen were safe.

It was not immediately clear if 14 were among the 19 sailors evacuated.

On October 23, the Indian mission said that all 14 Indian nationals on board the yacht near Hodeidah were safe and that it was in contact with the relevant parties to establish the circumstances of the incident.

Some Arab media earlier quoted Yahya Saree, a spokesman for Yemen’s Houthi group, as saying that Saudi forces had attacked an Indian yacht near Yuqar Island in the Red Sea, near Yemen’s coast.

Mr Saree said there were 14 Indian nationals on the yacht and they were being rescued by Houthi forces.

The incident comes amid renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, with attacks and counterattacks reported in recent days.

Saudi Arabia has intercepted Houthi missiles and drones while Saudi-led coalition forces have launched airstrikes in Yemen, raising fears of a return to wider conflict after relative calm under a 2022 ceasefire.

The latest violence has also hit civilian and energy infrastructure and raised security concerns in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key international shipping route.

Published – November 9, 2026 0:43 AM IST