Seven out of 11 crew members are Indians on 'Rwabee', the UAE-flagged ship seized by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on January 11.
The ship was hijacked by the rebels in the Red Sea, close to the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, on January 2.
The Indian authorities have initiated steps to secure the release release of the crew members belonging to the country, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
"Government of India has been closely monitoring developments following the seizure of the UAE flagged ship Rwabee off the port of Hodeidah (Yemen) by the Houthis on January 2, 2022. We are in touch with the company operating the ship and have been informed that out of the 11 crew members on board the ship, seven are from India," Bagchi said.
"We also understand from the company and other sources that all Indian crew members are safe. Government of India is making all efforts to secure their early release. We urge the Houthis to ensure the safety and well-being of the crew members and release them immediately," he added.
The MEA spokesperson further noted that New Delhi is concerned at the recent intensification of fighting in Yemen and hopes that all stakeholders will come to the negotiating table to find a peaceful resolution to the issue.
Apart from the seven Indians, the seized ship has five crew members who belong to Ethiopia, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines, according to a letter sent to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the UAE's permanent representative to the UN, Lana Nusseibeh.
The UAE, which is part of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition that is at loggerheads with Houthis who control vast swathes of Yemen, has fiercely condemned the seizure of Rwabee.
The Houthis have committed an "act of piracy", Nusseibeh reportedly wrote in the letter, adding that their act has violated "fundamental provisions of international law".
According to the UAE envoy, Rwabee is a "civilian cargo vessel", leased by a Saudi company, that was moving along the international route in the Red Sea when it was apprehended by the Houthis.
On the other hand, the Houthis, who are considered to be backed by Iran, have claimed that the ship was seized in waters that come under Yemen's territorial control. The group has also released a video which, they claim, proves that there was military equipment on board.
Notably, the military conflict between Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition erupted in March 2015, when the latter intervened in Yemen to support the internationally-recognised government that had lost several regions, including capital Sanaa, to the rebels.
The UN estimates that over the past seven years, around 370,000 people have lost their lives as a direct or indirect result of the war. The global body has described the situation as a "humanitarian catastrophe".
(With agency inputs)
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