Pakistani Crew Stranded For Over 10 Days On Houthi-Hit Tanker With Fighters On Board

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker carrying Pakistani sailors was attacked at a Yemeni port around 10 days ago, leaving it stranded and its crew unable to disembark, diplomatic sources confirmed on Friday.

The ship was traveling from Bandar Abbas port in Iran to Yemen with LNG cargo intended to be offloaded at the Yemeni port. Crew members said the vessel came under a drone attack while at port.

Since the incident, the ship has remained stranded in an area outside the control of Yemen’s government, according to diplomatic officials.

The captain and all 24 crew members aboard the vessel are Pakistani nationals. No casualties have been reported among the crew so far.

However, crew members in a video message stated that Houthi fighters are currently present on the ship and have stopped them from disembarking.

The ship’s captain has formally requested immediate permission to sail to Djibouti to keep the crew safe and resume the vessel’s journey.

The crew has appealed for urgent assistance, stating they are awaiting intervention from Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Director General of Ports.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that Pakistan is actively working to ensure the safe return of its citizens onboard the vessel. They said efforts are underway to resolve the situation and bring the crew to safety.

References: Geo News, thenews

Source: Maritime Shipping News