Two Indians killed in drone attack in UAE; Centre trying to rescue its citizens held hostage by Houthis

The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi is in touch with the local authorities after a drone attack by the Houthi rebels of Yemen killed two Indians on Monday.

Even as New Delhi has been trying to secure release of the seven Indians held hostage on a United Arab Emirates (UAE) ship seized by the Houthis on January 2 last, the drone attack by the same group of Zaydi Shia rebels of Yemen killed two other citizens of India on Monday.

The deceased Indians were employees of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). They were at the company’s fuel depot at Mussafah near the airport in the capital city of the UAE, when the Yemeni Houthi rebels carried out the drone attack.

“The Mission @IndembAbuDhabi is in close touch with concerned UAE authorities for further details,” the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi posted on Twitter.

The priority for the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi is to ascertain the identity of the deceased citizens of the country, Sanjay Sudhir, New Delhi’s envoy to the capital of the UAE, told a TV channel. He also urged the Indians in UAE to remain calm.

New Delhi has already been trying to ensure the release of seven Indians, who are among the 11 sailors held hostage by the Houthis on board the UAE-flagged cargo vessel Rawabee seized by the rebels on the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen on January 2.

“We urge the Houthis to immediately release the crew members and the vessel. The Houthis also bear the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the crew members till their release,” T S Tirumurti, New Delhi’s envoy to the United Nations, told the Security Council, during a briefing on the conflict in Yemen on January 12 last. He said that New Delhi was deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of Indian citizens on-board the ship.

New Delhi said that the seizure and detention of vessel Rawabee off the coast of Hudaydah in Yemen earlier this month had further exacerbated the ongoing tension in the West Asian nation. “We express our grave concern at this act, which has the potential to deeply compromise the maritime security in the region,” said Tirumurti.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: