A projectile strike caused the Indian-flagged multi‑service vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya to capsize and sink off the coast of Yemen. The ship, carrying 14 people of which 13 were Indian nationals, was rescued by Indian maritime forces with no casualties.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned the "un‑provoked attack" and pledged to take steps to safeguard seafarers operating in the region.
The incident arrives amid a spate of shellings and attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, attributed largely to Yemen’s Iran‑backed Houthi fighters. These assaults have disrupted shipping lanes that many tankers resorted to after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz in February, heightening risks for international maritime trade.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the growing targeting of commercial shipping as "deeply worrisome" and called for the immediate cessation of attacks, urging that international law be respected to reset unimpeded navigation in these waters.
The broader conflict, involving US and Israeli strikes in response to Iranian actions, has further complicated the shipping environment. As markets react, oil prices have fallen, sparking hopes of a possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Read more about the economic backdrop Oil prices fall on hopes Strait of Hormuz could reopen.
