Watch: Indian Navy In Dramatic Sea Rescue Of True Confidence Crew After 3 Sailors Died
On Wednesday we reported on the deadly Houthi missile strike on the MV True Confidence, a Liberian-owned vessel, in the Red Sea. The attack resulted in the first fatalities since the Houthi campaign against international shipping began in reaction to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Three sailors tragically died while the rest of the crew abandoned the stricken vessel as it was on fire.
The UK embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, confirmed on X: "At least two innocent sailors have died. This was the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping. They must stop." A statement by US Central Command later increased the death toll to three.
The vessel's owners and operator had said it was drifting 50 nautical miles southwest of Aden. True Confidence Shipping and Greece-based operator Third January Maritime Ltd said in a joint statement "The vessel is drifting" and that there the ship had no current connection with any US entity. However, the Indian Navy responded and was able to rescue several crew members, captured in a dramatic video below:
Video of #India’s Armed Forces saving the crew of the TRUE CONFIDENCE that was attacked by the #IRGCterrorists-backed #Houthis yesterday. pic.twitter.com/yR5mMczzCh
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) March 7, 2024
Reuters has confirmed Thursday that "India's navy evacuated all 20 crew from a stricken vessel in the Red Sea on Thursday, after a Houthi attack killed three seafarers in the first civilian fatalities from the Yemeni group's campaign against the key shipping route."
The vessel's owners have contacted and expressed condolences to the families. Two of the deceased were Filipino nationals, while the third was Vietnamese.
The Indian Navy conducted a daring helicopter rescue from a small life raft in choppy waters. According to more from Reuters, "Some wounded were shown lying in the bottom of a navy lifeboat sent to assist."
"They were carried on stretchers onto the ship and were shown later with heavily bandaged limbs as they were evacuated to the Djibouti hospital," the report continued.
CENTCOM photo showing the vessel on fire and drifting following a direct hit by Houthi missile...
The owners and managers further said in the statement: "The vessel is drifting well away from land and salvage arrangements are being made." However, even salvage efforts will be high risk at a moment these waters off Yemen come under daily Houthi drone and rocket attacks.