An Indian sailor, who was part of the crew of a merchant vessel detained by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in July, has been released and is expected to return home soon, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.
Anilkumar Raveendran was among 11 sailors from India and the Philippines freed by the Houthi rebels on Wednesday. The men were flown out of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital held for more than a decade by the rebels, to Muscat in a Royal Oman Air Force aircraft on Wednesday.
The Iran-backed Houthis, who targeted merchant vessels during the Israel-Hamas war, said on their al-Masirah satellite news channel on Wednesday that Oman had taken custody of the freed sailors.
The Indian government welcomed the release of Raveendran, who was part of the crew of MV Eternity C that was detained in Yemen after the vessel was attacked by the Houthis on July 7.
Raveendran reached Muscat on Wednesday and is “expected to travel back to India soon”, the ministry said in a statement.
The government was coordinating with various parties to ensure Raveendran’s safe release and return. The government thanked Oman for facilitating Raveendran’s release, the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}The government was coordinating with various parties to ensure Raveendran’s safe release and return. The government thanked Oman for facilitating Raveendran’s release, the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}The attack by the Houthi rebels on MV Eternity C in the Red Sea in July killed four on board and sank the vessel.
The Houthis have targeted more than 100 vessels with missiles and drones and sunk four ships. These attacks killed at least nine sailors. The Houthis have also detained sailors for months in the past.