Around 350 stranded Indians were evacuated today from strife-torn Aden in Yemen on an Indian naval ship. The ship is currently docked at Djibouti, a country neighbouring Yemen and across the Red Sea.
The government launched a massive air and sea evacuation operation for its over 4,000 nationals in Yemen. The operation took place in dark night conditions as soon as India obtained permission to dock its ship at the Aden harbour.
Two warships have been pressed into service, besides two passenger ships, while the Indian Air Force has put on standby two C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft.
Air India has also stationed two 180-seater Airbus A320 planes in Muscat for the evacuation of Indians from Yemen’s capital Sanaa to Djibouti. The planes are currently stranded, waiting on clearance from the concerned authorities.
Defence sources said four ships––including destroyer INS Mumbai and stealth frigate INS Tarkash––will reach Yemen by Saturday, while two merchant vessels, Kavaratti and Coral, have also been dispatched. The four ships are to assemble in the Arabian Sea on April 2 and proceed as a composite group to Djibouti.
Saudi-led coalition warplanes pounded Yemen’s Shiite rebels for a sixth day today, destroying missiles and weapons depots and for the first time using warships to bomb the rebel-held airport and eastern outskirts of the port city of Aden.
(With PTI inputs.)