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Projectile sinks Indian-flagged ship off Yemen coast
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- An Indian-flagged vessel, MSV Faize Noore Oliya, capsized and sank off the coast of Yemen after being hit by a projectile; all 14 crew members, including 13 Indian nationals, were safely rescued.
- India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned the "unprovoked attack" and pledged measures to protect seafarers in the region, though the attacker remains unidentified.
- The incident adds to a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, a key alternative shipping route since Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz in February, disrupting global oil shipments.
- Yemen's internationally recognized government accused Iran-backed Houthi fighters of the attack, which reportedly involved a boat laden with explosives, amid ongoing regional tensions and a declared Houthi blockade of Saudi Red Sea ports.
- Despite recent hostilities, US officials expressed optimism about a potential deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which could ease shipping risks and stabilize oil prices.
