ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that an LPG tanker carrying 27 crew members, including 24 Pakistanis, was struck by an Israeli drone while anchored at Yemen’s Ras Issa port earlier this month.
In a post on X, Naqvi said the crew comprised 24 Pakistanis — including Captain Mukhtar Akbar — along with two Sri Lankans and one Nepali national. The tanker was targeted on September 17, when a drone hit one of its LPG tanks, sparking a fire.
The minister said the blaze was eventually contained, but Houthi boats later intercepted the vessel and held the crew hostage onboard.
“Alhamdulillah, the tanker and its entire crew are now free from Houthi custody and have sailed out of Yemeni waters,” he said.
Naqvi expressed gratitude to Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, Pakistani officials, the ambassador in Oman Naveed Bukhari and his team, partners in Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan’s security agencies for working under “extremely difficult conditions” to secure the crew’s safe release.
Salvage of oil tanker struck by Houthis in Red Sea expected in coming days
Earlier, the Foreign Office said the fire broke out on September 17 when the LPG tanker, carrying a multinational crew, came under attack near Yemen’s coast. It confirmed that all 24 Pakistani nationals were safe, adding that Pakistani missions in the region had remained in constant contact with both Yemeni authorities and the families of the crew.
According to media reports and an audio message from one of the Pakistani crew members, the vessel — identified as Clipper Gas Carrier — had arrived at Ras Issa port on September 6 to discharge cargo. The crew said it was struck by three drones on the night of September 16. The third attack caused a major fire, forcing them to abandon ship before being picked up by Yemeni authorities.
Crew members alleged they were forced back onto the vessel despite the risk of an explosion. After days of battling the fire without resources, they managed to extinguish it on September 20 with assistance from local authorities. However, they said they were later detained by Houthis, kept under constant guard, and denied food, rest, and freedom of movement.
They appealed to Pakistani authorities for help, warning that a blast on the gas-laden ship could prove catastrophic.
The episode unfolded against the backdrop of frequent Israeli strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The Houthis, aligned with the Ansar Allah movement, have carried out missile attacks on Israel in response to its Gaza offensive. The US also took part in strikes on Houthi targets earlier this year, but later suspended operations on President Donald Trump’s orders.