Seafaring in Crisis: Indian Ship Sinks Near Yemen After Projectile Attack

Sun Sep 06 2026 12:18:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A cargo vessel flagged by India capsized after a mysterious projectile hit in Yemen’s Red Sea, highlighting rising maritime risks in a tense Middle East.

An Indian-flagged cargo ship, MSV Faize Noore Oliya, was struck by an unexplained projectile while sailing off Yemen’s coast, leading to its capsizing and sinking. All 14 people aboard, including 13 Indians, were rescued safely. Indian officials condemned the attack as unprovoked, raising concerns over shipping security in the Red Sea, a lane increasingly used by oil tankers to bypass the Strait of Hormuz blocked by Iranian activity.

Indian Ship Sinks in the Red Sea After Projectile Strike

MSV Faize Noore Oliya, an Indian-flagged cargo vessel, capsized and sank after it was hit by a projectile off Yemen’s coast. All 14 crew members, 13 of them Indians, were rescued safely by India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The incident marks another blow in a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea, an alternative route many oil tankers use after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz.

Officials say the attack is “unprovoked” and have not yet identified the source. Yemen’s transport ministry accused Iran‑backed Houthi fighters of launching the strike from a boat laden with explosives, but the group has not commented.

India’s foreign‑affairs ministry released a statement describing attacks on commercial shipping in the region as deeply “worrisome” and called for the restoration of free navigation under international law. The turmoil stems from recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the Houthi‐initiated blockade of Saudi ports.

These tensions have pushed many oil tankers to use the Red Sea lane, amplifying risks amid ongoing geopolitical friction. Analysts warn that continued attacks could destabilize global oil markets, as seen when the Strait of Hormuz re‑opens. The incident underscores the fragile state of maritime safety in a region where commercial shipping faces unprecedented threats.