Indian cargo ship sinks off Yemen after projectile strike; all 14 crew rescued by Yemeni Coast Guard

The attack

An Indian-flagged commercial vessel, the MSV Faize Noore Oliya, was struck by a projectile near Yemeni waters on Tuesday, August 4, causing it to capsize and sink. The National Resistance Forces, a Yemeni government-aligned faction that controls Mokha, said in a statement that the vessel was attacked about 13 nautical miles south of the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah by a boat loaded with explosives, and that its coast guard and naval units mounted a joint operation to reach the crew. India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, posting on X, confirmed the vessel was hit by a projectile but did not attribute responsibility. The National Resistance Forces blamed the Houthis for the attack. The Houthis had not commented as of Tuesday evening.

Indian MSV Faize Noore Oliya has been hit by a projectile near Yemeni waters, causing the vessel to capsize and sink.

Rescue operation

The Yemeni Coast Guard, supported by naval forces, rescued all 14 crew members from the sinking vessel. The group included 13 Indian nationals and one Yemeni citizen. They were brought safely to the Port of Mokha on Yemen's Red Sea coast. Sonowal expressed relief at the outcome and said he had instructed India's Director General of Maritime Administration to take immediate steps to ensure the security of Indian seafarers in the region.

India strongly condemns this unprovoked attack on the defenseless mechanized sailing vessel. The safety of our people is our supreme priority and I am relieved to inform that ALL 14 seafarers (including 13 Indians) have been safely rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and brought to the Port of Mokha.

Official reactions

India's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack in a statement, calling for an end to strikes on merchant shipping in the area. The ministry said its embassy in Riyadh was closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with Yemeni authorities. The Indian government in New Delhi confirmed it was in contact with Yemeni officials over the incident.

The continued attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. We call for an end to the targeting of merchant vessels and for the restoration of free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law.

Regional context

The Red Sea shipping lane off Yemen's coast has seen escalating disruption in recent weeks. The Iran-aligned Houthi militia declared a blockade of Saudi Arabia and warned commercial vessels to avoid the area. Hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia resumed in July after several years of relative calm, expanding the US-Iran conflict that has already choked oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis have recently claimed responsibility for attacks on oil tankers in the region. Indian refiners have already shifted to Middle Eastern cargoes on a delivered basis following earlier Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers.

Indian maritime presence

India is one of the world's leading suppliers of merchant navy seafarers, employing over 320,000 professionals in 2025 according to the country's shipping ministry. The sinking of the Faize Noore Oliya marks a direct threat to that workforce in a zone where Indian-flagged vessels have not previously been primary targets.