On Friday, September 22, the Indian Embassy to Saudi Arabia informed that the 18 soldiers who were stuck at Nishtun Port finally reached Aden safely and arrangements were being made to bring them back to India.
“With the relentless efforts of our Embassies in Riyadh & Dijibouti, for the past few weeks, 18 Indian sailors stuck at Nishtun Port finally reached Aden safely today. Their travel to India is being arranged soon. We thank the Yemen Govt & all local friends for their full support,” the Indian Embassy to Saudi Arabia wrote on X, formally Twitter, sharing pictures of the rescued soldiers.
With the relentless efforts of our Embassies in Riyadh & Dijibouti, for the past few weeks, 18 Indian sailors stuck at Nishtun Port finally reached Aden safely today. Their travel to India is being arranged soon. We thank the Yemen Govt & all local friends for their full support. pic.twitter.com/r9ZYlgtqlV
— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) September 21, 2023
Earlier in June, 16 Indian sailors held in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria were released after nine months.
These 16 Indian sailors of the MT Heroic Idun ship had been stuck in Equatorial Guinea since August 13, 2022, allegedly for not displaying the Equatorial Guinean flag. They have been detained in Equatorial Guinea for over 80 days and fear arrest by the Nigerian Navy. Nigeria had accused them of oil theft.
In December 2022, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Lok Sabha that sailors were getting legal and consular support.
They eventually arrived at Kochi Airport in Kerala after a trial and settlement. At the Kochi Airport, they were greeted cordially by their family and Indian authorities.
