Indians caught up in two Gulf-region incidents: 14 on a yacht off Yemen, 21 on a tanker near Hormuz

Two separate incidents at sea have put Indian nationals in the spotlight. On 22 October the Indian Embassy in Yemen said it was looking into an incident involving 14 Indians aboard a yacht off the Yemeni coast. On 21 October, a Kuwait-flagged tanker carrying 21 Indian seafarers was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that crew is safe.

Yacht off Yemen: claim yet to be verified

Yahya Saree, the military spokesman of Yemen’s Houthi movement, said on 22 October that Saudi forces were targeting a yacht carrying 14 Indian nationals near Zuqar Island in the Red Sea. He said Houthi forces were rescuing those aboard and that further details would follow.

That account has not been independently verified. Who was responsible, what condition the 14 people are in and whether the yacht was damaged remained unclear when this report was filed.

The Embassy of India in Yemen responded on the social media platform X the same day. It said it was aware of an incident involving 14 Indian nationals on a yacht off Yemen’s coast, was working to establish the facts, and would extend all possible assistance for their safety and well-being. No statement from the Ministry of External Affairs on the yacht had been published at the time of writing.

Tanker near Hormuz: crew unhurt

In a post on X, Sonowal said the oil product tanker M/T Al Dasma was struck by an unidentified projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz on 21 October. The ship carried 21 Indian seafarers.

“All 21 of our Indian crew members, along with the rest of the crew are completely safe,” the minister said. He added that the authorities are continuously monitoring the situation and are in close contact with the ship’s management company.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which tracks incidents at sea, placed the strike about 11 nautical miles west of Bukha in Oman. A fire broke out on board and was later put out. No one has been named as responsible for the strike.

What families should know

• The embassy has not said where the yacht’s crew and passengers are, or whether any of them is hurt.
• The Al Dasma crew has been confirmed safe by the minister, though the ship’s condition after the fire has not been detailed.

Many Indians work in the Gulf and many more serve as seafarers on foreign-flagged vessels, which is why each incident in these waters draws immediate attention in India.

Further official updates on both incidents are awaited. Families seeking information about relatives on either vessel should look to the Indian Embassy in Yemen, which has said it will provide assistance, and to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.