JOIN USAt least six of the seven Indians who went missing after their boat came under airstrikes off Yemen’s al-Hudaydah Port last Tuesday have been confirmed dead while search was on for another.
The government has confirmed that the mortal remains of six Indians were recovered from sea and their funeral rites were performed in Hudaydah on Friday.
Most of the 21 crew of the two boats, which overturned under aerial bombardment, were from Gujarat. Though at least 20 were initially reported to be killed, 14 were rescued alive later and four of them were admitted to a hospital in Hudaydah.
Two boats — Mustafa and Asmar — had altogether 21 crews, mostly from Gujarat, came under air strikes carried out by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia. The coalition has been carrying out an offensive against Houthi rebels in Yemen since March.
The boats were plying between Yemen and Somalia, when they came under aerial bombardment and overturned.
Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, stated that the bodies of six of the missing persons were recovered late at night on Thursday.
The mortal remains have been brought to a military hospital in Hudaydah, he added.
“The families of the deceased have been informed, and their verbal consent has been taken for appropriate funeral rites to be performed today in Hudaydah as per religious practices,” said Swarup.